María Corina Machado, the prominent Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recently reiterated her commitment to combatting the oppressive government of Nicolás Maduro. Her remarks followed a heroic escape to Oslo, marked by the Nobel committee’s declaration that her journey—largely on foot—had “included grave risk.” Machado was only hours late for Wednesday’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance ceremony. She promised she would go back to Venezuela to be with her people—to continue to prove her dedication to pursuing a democracy and freedom for her native homeland.
Machado’s first day in Oslo was anything but ordinary. This timing meant that she was undertaking this journey at a particularly hazardous and risky time. She is one of the key leaders of the Venezuelan opposition to Maduro’s corrupt regime. This regime has been the target of much-deserved criticism for its role in human rights abuses and corruption. Her daughter, Malala Yousafzai, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize —the highest compliment known to mankind— on her behalf. This award is a huge recognition of Machado’s tireless struggle for peace and justice in Venezuela.
After those contentious elections last year, Machado fled into exile. The Venezuelan government’s crackdown on dissent has only increased, forcing him to go to ground. Beyond this, she has appeared publicly only once this year, giving a widely covered speech at a protest against Maduro’s inauguration for a new term. Despite these challenges, she remains resolute. “I’ll be back in Venezuela, I have no doubt,” she stated, underscoring her unwavering commitment to returning to her country regardless of the political situation.
In her conversations with fellow Venezuelans in Oslo, Machado noted that many expressed hope and determination as they prepare to return home. She recounted interactions with those who told her they are “preparing their bags to come back home to build a nation that will be so proud.” This hopefulness and optimism is representative of the increasing yearning among Venezuelans to take back their country and return democracy to Venezuela.
Machado attributes much of the regime’s current fragility to the role U.S. President Donald Trump has played in undermining Maduro’s standing. She also admitted that they had formerly functioned under a false sense of total impunity. “The regime previously thought that they could do anything, anything,” she remarked. She senses a shift: “Now, they start to understand that this is serious and the world is really watching.”
The Venezuelan opposition leader urged immediate international action to prevent the systemic violence and repression suffered by Venezuelans. Without freedom you can’t have democracy, she stated. “You cannot have democracy without freedom,” she asserted, reinforcing her vision for a future where Venezuela thrives as a democratic nation.
As her time in Oslo came to a close, Machado couldn’t express enough appreciation for the welcome she received across her travels. She noted too how much those who helped her paid in their own risk. “Those who aided my travel could be harmed if their identities were revealed,” she cautioned, highlighting the precarious situation surrounding dissent against the Maduro regime.
