Awarding
the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado marks a significant
milestone in the recent political history of Venezuela and in the
democratization processes of Latin America. This international recognition
highlights not only Machado's struggle against authoritarianism but especially
her particular style of leadership, based on ethical principles, social
commitment, and the ability to reconcile with diverse actors. In a context
where the Venezuelan opposition has faced fragmentation and constant threats,
the Nobel granted to Machado represents a symbol of hope and a clear message
about the importance of perseverance and integrity in promoting peaceful
democratic processes.
Since
the deepening of the political crisis in Venezuela, the opposition has played a
complex and diverse role. Figures like Juan Guaidó, Henrique Capriles, and
Leopoldo López have been protagonists at different times, each with different
strategies and approaches. However, these leaderships have been criticized for
their inability to overcome internal fragmentation and for the emergence of
personal protagonism. In contrast, María Corina Machado has stood out for
maintaining a firm stance in defense of free democratic elections, without
aspiring to a presidential candidacy herself, always emphasizing the need for
ethical and collective leadership to restore the democratic system.
When
I met Machado personally at the 2009 World Fellows Forum at Yale University, I
was very glad to see how she tried to share her doubts, listen to other
experiences, and learn at all costs, instead of conveying a narcissism that is
very widespread in places like Yale, where the leadership of the "grand strategies" barely differs from the egocentrism of those called by destiny
to govern or exercise power.
Machado
was different. What I saw were expressions of friendship, simplicity—one more
from the people—but with an opportunity to educate herself better and, above
all, with the firm conviction to return to the lion’s den, in search of an
obvious destiny: she had her nose broken during a session of the Venezuelan
Congress in 2013, again in October 2018, survived hundreds of death threats,
and her campaign was a conscious mobilization and organization of citizens who
only sought democratic elections and a minimum of security to work and survive.
She never chose to flee into a golden exile in the United States or Europe.
The
Nobel Committee recognized in Machado a leadership that combines political
courage with an unusual capacity for reconciliation. In an environment marked
by extreme polarization and the systematic repression of the dictatorship of
Hugo Chávez, first, and Nicolás Maduro, later, Machado embodied dialogue and
consensus-building, both nationally and in her international relations. Her ethical
leadership is manifested in the coherence between her speeches and actions, her
rejection of authoritarianism without resorting to violence, and her commitment
to protecting human rights, social justice, and citizen participation.
At
this point, the comparison with Alexei Navalny is inevitable. The Russian
opposition leader, assassinated in prison for his fight against Vladimir
Putin’s regime, represents the same moral dimension now recognized in Machado:
the decision not to surrender to tyranny, even knowing that the price may be
one’s own life. Navalny and Machado shared the conviction that democracy is not
only an institutional structure but a civic culture defended with dignity,
without violence, appealing to the people's conscience. Both understood that
peaceful resistance is not passivity but the highest degree of political
courage.
The
difference, however, lies in the contexts and outcomes. Navalny was a victim of
Russian totalitarianism, a martyr of democratization. Machado, a survivor and
symbol of perseverance, embodies the possibility that democratic resistance can
still win from within Venezuela. The Nobel Prize for Machado also becomes an
implicit tribute to Navalny and to all who, in different geographies, risk
their lives for freedom and political balance.
A
key element for awarding the Nobel Prize is the perseverance demonstrated by
Machado during years of political adversity. Despite threats, persecution, and
forced exile, she maintained a clear agenda: to promote free and fair elections
as the only viable path to solving the Venezuelan crisis. Her commitment to
democracy was not limited to denunciation but included initiatives of civic
education, citizen mobilization, and strategic alliances with international
organizations.
The
prize not only legitimizes Machado’s work but also reinforces the value of
ethical leadership in political crisis scenarios. It represents a call to other
opposition leaders and social movements to prioritize community,
reconciliation, and the building of an inclusive national project. The message
is clear: democratic transformation is based on mutual respect, tolerance, and
the ability to unite, rather than on fractures or personal egos.
The
2025 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado is a recognition of a
leadership style both innovative and necessary in Latin America. But it is also
a reminder that the struggle for democracy, whether in Caracas or Moscow, is
part of the same universal aspiration: to build a culture of peace based on
moral courage, political balance, and hope. Machado, like Navalny, shows that
true authority does not come from power but from personal, ethical, and, why
not say it, spiritual integrity.
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