Lmst

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Peace Prize winner

https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2025/11/13/privatization-maria-corina-machado-sell-trillion-venezuela/ This is why she won the #nobelpeaceprize. Nothing to do with freedom, democracy, or peace, purely her willingness to sell off her country to the highest bidder. #Venezuela #AmericanEmpire

Maria Corina Machado: The Unyielding Voice of Venezuelan Freedom

BREAKING NEWS The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Maria Corina Machado Wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Tireless Fight for Democracy in Venezuela

In the crisp autumn air of Oslo on October 10, 2025, the world tuned in for one of the most anticipated announcements of the year: the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, with its storied legacy of honoring those who champion peace amid turmoil, delivered a message that resonated far beyond Scandinavia. Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader often dubbed the “Iron Lady” of her nation’s struggle, was awarded the prestigious prize for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” This wasn’t just an accolade for one woman; it was a clarion call to the global community, spotlighting the suffocating grip of authoritarianism in Latin America’s once-prosperous oil giant.

Machado’s victory feels poetic in its timing. As Venezuela grapples with economic collapse, human rights abuses, and a regime accused of rigging elections, her recognition arrives like a lifeline. But who is this 58-year-old engineer-turned-activist who has evaded arrest, lived in hiding, and rallied millions against a government that has ruled with an iron fist since Hugo Chávez’s era? To understand the depth of her impact, we must trace her path from the boardrooms of Caracas to the barricades of democratic resistance.

Born on October 7, 1967, in Caracas, María Corina Machado Parisca grew up in a family steeped in Venezuela’s professional elite. Her father, Henrique Machado Zuloaga, was a prominent figure in the steel industry, instilling in her a blend of intellectual rigor and entrepreneurial spirit. Young María excelled academically, earning a degree in industrial engineering from the Catholic University Andrés Bello and later pursuing advanced studies in finance at the Stern School of Business in New York. It was here, amid the skyscrapers of Manhattan, that she honed skills that would later fuel her political fire. Returning to Venezuela in the 1990s, Machado dove into the private sector, co-founding the Consultores Vinager group, which advised on privatization and economic reforms during a time when the country was flirting with neoliberal shifts under President Carlos Andrés Pérez.

But Venezuela’s political landscape was a powder keg. The 1990s brought riots, coups, and economic woes that paved the way for Chávez’s 1998 election. Machado, sensing the tide turning toward populism, shifted gears. In 2002, as Chávez consolidated power, she co-founded Súmate, a non-governmental organization dedicated to defending democratic institutions and promoting transparency in elections. Súmate’s first major act? A petition drive in 2003 urging a recall referendum against Chávez—a move that drew the regime’s wrath. Accused of conspiring with the CIA, Machado faced investigations and smears, yet she stood firm. “Democracy is not a gift; it’s a daily fight,” she once said, a mantra that would define her career.

Her entry into formal politics came in 2010 when she was elected to the National Assembly as a representative for Miranda state, representing the Justice First party. Machado quickly emerged as a thorn in the government’s side, railing against corruption, hyperinflation, and the erosion of civil liberties. By 2012, she had founded Vente Venezuela (Venezuela Sells), a libertarian-leaning party emphasizing free markets, individual rights, and anti-authoritarianism. Running in the opposition primaries that year, she lost to Henrique Capriles but garnered enough support to signal her rising star.

The real crucible came in 2014. As protests erupted over economic mismanagement and violence under Chávez’s successor, Nicolás Maduro, Machado became a symbol of defiance. She addressed crowds from the National Assembly balcony, her voice cutting through tear gas clouds, demanding accountability. The regime responded with brute force: over 40 protesters were killed, thousands arrested, and Machado herself was stripped of parliamentary immunity in 2014 on dubious conspiracy charges. Undeterred, she continued her advocacy, traveling internationally to brief world leaders and human rights bodies on Venezuela’s descent into crisis.

To grasp the stakes of Machado’s battle, one must confront Venezuela’s tragic unraveling. Once Latin America’s richest nation, blessed with the world’s largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela’s GDP per capita plummeted from $10,000 in 2013 to under $2,000 by 2020, according to World Bank data. Hyperinflation peaked at over 1 million percent in 2018, driving mass emigration—over 7 million Venezuelans have fled since 2014, creating the largest displacement crisis in the Americas. The Maduro regime, accused by the United Nations of systematic torture and extrajudicial killings, has manipulated elections, as evidenced by the 2018 presidential vote boycotted by much of the opposition and deemed fraudulent by the U.S. and EU.

Academic analyses underscore the regime’s authoritarian playbook. A 2020 study in the Journal of Democracy by Javier Corrales details how Chávez and Maduro weaponized institutions, from stacking the judiciary to controlling media, creating a “competitive authoritarianism” that mimics democracy while stifling it (Corrales, 2020). For deeper insight, the Inter-American Development Bank’s report on Venezuela’s economic collapse highlights how mismanagement of oil revenues exacerbated inequality, fueling social unrest that Machado has channeled into calls for peaceful reform (IDB, 2019). These sources paint a grim picture, but they also illuminate why figures like Machado are vital: as a 2022 paper in Latin American Politics and Society argues, opposition leaders like her provide “civilian anchors” against militarization, fostering non-violent resistance (Ellner, 2022).

Machado’s strategy has always emphasized non-violence and international solidarity. In 2019, she helped organize the National Constituent Assembly opposition, pushing for free elections. Her crowning achievement came in the 2024 primaries, where she won a landslide 92% of votes, positioning herself as the unified opposition candidate against Maduro. Yet, the regime disqualified her on flimsy corruption charges—a move decried by Human Rights Watch as politically motivated (HRW, 2024). Forced into hiding, Machado has operated from safe houses, coordinating via encrypted channels and smuggling messages to supporters. “We are not alone,” she declared in a clandestine video, her words echoing the Nobel Committee’s praise for her as a “unifying figure” inspiring millions.

The Nobel announcement on October 10 was electric. From the Nobel Institute’s grand hall, Committee Chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes lauded Machado’s “civilian courage” in resisting the “militarisation of Venezuelan society.” In an emotional phone interview aired live, Machado, her voice trembling, responded: “Oh my God… I have no words. I am just part of a huge movement. I’m humbled, I’m grateful, and I’m honored.” She dedicated the prize to the Venezuelan people, vowing it would amplify their cry for justice.

Reactions poured in like a digital tidal wave. On X (formerly Twitter), the official Nobel account’s post garnered over 180,000 likes within hours, with users hailing Machado as an “inspiration for all oppressed peoples.” Venezuelan exiles in Miami and Bogotá took to the streets, waving flags and chanting her name. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whom Machado has praised for his tough stance on Maduro, received a personal shoutout from her: “Thank you for restoring democracy and freedom in the Americas,” she said in a CBS interview, crediting his administration’s sanctions for pressuring the regime.

Yet, the award isn’t without controversy. Critics, particularly from left-leaning circles, have accused Machado of hawkish views, pointing to her support for Israel’s actions in Gaza and calls for foreign intervention to oust Maduro—positions that clash with the prize’s pacifist ethos. In France, where some politicians have historically sympathized with Maduro’s “anti-imperialist” rhetoric, voices like those from La France Insoumise faced backlash on social media, with users decrying their past support as a “stain” in light of the Nobel. Amnesty International, however, celebrated the win as a “global honor for the pro-democracy movement,” urging renewed sanctions and diplomatic pressure (Amnesty, 2025).

What does this mean for Venezuela? The Nobel could catalyze international action. Already, the U.S. and EU have hinted at fresh sanctions, while Brazil’s Lula da Silva, a reluctant critic of Maduro, faces pressure to mediate. As The Conversation notes, prizes like this “elevate dissidents from local heroes to global icons,” potentially deterring further crackdowns (The Conversation, 2025). For Venezuelans, enduring blackouts and food shortages, it’s a psychological boost—a reminder that their plight isn’t forgotten.

Machado’s story is one of resilience, but it’s woven into a larger tapestry of global democratic backsliding. From Hungary’s Orbán to Nicaragua’s Ortega, authoritarianism thrives on silencing voices like hers. Her engineering mind—logical, innovative—has reimagined opposition not as chaos, but as structured resistance: primaries as pressure valves, international tours as diplomatic jujitsu. A Yale World Fellow in 2009, she once told the Jackson School audience that “democracy is like a muscle; it atrophies without use” (Yale Jackson School, 2025). Today, that muscle flexes stronger, thanks to her.

As the sun sets on another day in hiding, Machado continues her work—coordinating allies, drafting manifestos, dreaming of a Venezuela where elections aren’t theater and rights aren’t rationed. The Nobel medallion, to be presented in December, will symbolize more than personal triumph; it’s a toolkit for transition. Will it spark the peaceful revolution she envisions? History, ever the harsh editor, will decide. But for now, in the hearts of millions, Maria Corina Machado isn’t just a winner—she’s a promise kept.

For primary sources on her biography and activism, see the official Nobel factsheet: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2025/machado/facts/. For academic depth, explore Javier Corrales’ “The Authoritarian Resurgence: Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela” in the Journal of Democracy (available via JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25655329). On economic impacts, the IDB’s “Venezuela: A Decade Under Chávez” offers rigorous analysis: https://publications.iadb.org/en/venezuela-decade-under-chavez. Human Rights Watch’s 2024 report on electoral fraud: https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/07/29/venezuela-we-cant-forget/election-abuses-and-authoritarian-tactics.

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#MariaCorinaMachado #NobelPeacePrize #NobelPeacePrize #VenezuelaDemocracy

While support for Japan's nuclear-weapons abolitionist groups is increasing, the average age of hibakusha has exceeded 86. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/10/japan/nihon-hidankyo-nobel-peace-prize-one-year/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #nihonhidankyo #nobelpeaceprize #hiroshima #atomicbombings #wwii #nuclearweapons

Trump's NIGHTMARE loss of the #NobelPeacePrize SURGES into the spotlight after his ally and president of #FIFA, #GianniInfantino, makes an UNBELIEVABLE #FIFAPeacePrize announcement. @yazzzzzk.bsky.social and @bretterlich.bsky.social break it down on #TheDamageReport youtu.be/sWKj5GkIJuo?...

Trump's Big Loss SURGES Into S...

When you have no credibility and you can’t obtain the Nobel Peace Prize, buy yourself a peace prize from an organisation with no credibility.

#FIFA #fifapeaceprize #uspol #AusPol #NobelPeacePrize #Nobel

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/fifa-to-award-new-peace-prize-at-world-cup-draw-in-washington

FIFA Announces New “Peace Prize,” Weeks After Trump Fails to Win Nobel Award

The award comes as FIFA is under fire for refusing to sanction Israel and Saudi Arabia for their human rights abuses.

https://murica.website/2025/11/fifa-announces-new-peace-prize-weeks-after-trump-fails-to-win-nobel-award/

Praise Trump or Perish - Bernie Sanders and Chris Williamson

#stalin #nobelpeaceprize #trump

Labor pledged to ban nuclear weapons in opposition. In government it got a reality check

Anthony Albanese said the stakes could not be higher. Banning nuclear weapons, he told delegates at the 2018…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #angusgrigg #AnthonyAlbanese #AU #Australia #DonaldTrump #fourcorners #NobelPeacePrize #Nuclearweapons #nuclearweaponsban #RichardMarles #treatyontheprohibitionofnuclearweapons
https://www.newsbeep.com/226416/

Give the man a #NobelPeacePrize. We have yet *another* country he's threatening to go to war with.

https://www.npr.org/2025/11/01/g-s1-96215/trump-nigeria-christian-persecution-claims

#FelonInChief #PartyOfStupid

#NobelPeacePrize #GunsABlazing #Nigeria 🤦‍♂️

A social media post from Trump threatening to invade Nigeria "Guns a'blazing" if they don't protect Christians in that country.

In his quest for a #NobelPeacePrize, and after murdering people in boats in the Western Hemisphere, Trump wrote: "that if Nigeria does not halt the persecution of Christians he may send U.S. troops guns-a-blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
#GiveTrumpAPeacePrizeBeforeHeKillsAgain #politics

#Venezuela #Machado #NobelPeacePrize

She is f**king crazy and a fascist and she is getting the Nobel peace prize.

From X:

"Nobel Peace Prize winner and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado welcomes U.S. airstrikes on Venezuela and the extrajudicial killing of Venezuelans at sea, insisting the strikes “are about saving lives.” Speaking to Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain, she also claims that Hamas, the Palestinian armed resistance group, is now located in Venezuela. -->

Dean Baker's comment in response to Donald Trump ordering our military to destroy other nation's boats near Venezuela:

"In his demented state, Trump can't remember whether he is supposed to be starting or ending wars to get a #NobelPeacePrize."
#AbuseOfAuthority #MisuseOfOurMilitary #politics