Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has told the BBC she is grateful for what US President Donald Trump is doing 'around the world for peace.'
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, was awarded the 2025 prize for her longstanding campaign against the perceived illegitimate rule of President Nicolás Maduro Moros.
During a congratulatory phone call with Trump, she expressed how thankful the Venezuelan people are for his efforts not only in the Americas but worldwide for promoting peace, freedom, and democracy.
Trump, who has been vocal about his aspirations for the Nobel Prize, has previously claimed to have ended multiple wars.
Following the closure of nominations for the award in January, shortly after Trump began his second presidential term, a White House official claimed the 'Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.'
Machado expressed her delight at speaking to the President and conveying her gratitude, stating, 'It was a great honor for Venezuelan society.'
Assigned to live in hiding for the past year due to threats against her life, Machado is recognized for her courage in fighting for democracy in Latin America. Nobel chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes cited her exhausting struggle for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy as exemplary.
Despite being barred from running in the previous year's elections—widely criticized as neither free nor fair—Machado remained steadfast in rallying support for the opposition during a turbulent time.
Machado described her award as 'like an injection' for her political movement, serving to instill hope and energy among the Venezuelan populace, reinforcing their solidarity with democratic struggles worldwide.
As the Venezuelan regime is categorized as a 'criminal structure,' Machado urged the international community to intervene by dismantling the financial flows supporting oppression in her country, including drug trafficking and arms smuggling.
Recently, US forces targeted apparent drug trafficking operations near Venezuela, a move which has drawn criticism from regional leaders.
