The ‘Dark Sides’ of Nobel Peace Laureate María Corina Machado

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced her as the laureate on Friday, October 10.

Following the announcement, Michele Elner, Latin America Campaign Coordinator for CodePink and a Venezuelan by birth, wrote an opinion column in Common Dreams. In it, she stated:

“When right-wing figures like María win the Nobel Peace Prize, it strips peace of its true meaning.”

Elner went on to list several of Machado’s controversial actions, raising serious concerns about her legacy. Among the key points she made:

Support for the 2002 Coup Attempt

• María supported the 2002 military coup in Venezuela that briefly overthrew the democratically elected government.

• She signed the Carmona Decree, which dissolved Venezuela’s constitution and all governmental institutions overnight.

Calls for Foreign Intervention

• Machado has actively collaborated with the U.S. government in efforts to overthrow Venezuela’s government.

• She has publicly called for foreign military intervention to “liberate” Venezuela.

• She supported former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of military action against Venezuela.

• Additionally, she backed the deployment of U.S. warships in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

Support for U.S. Sanctions

• María lobbied the U.S. to impose sanctions on Venezuela, knowing that the poor, the sick, and working-class people would bear the brunt of the consequences.

Involvement in Parallel Government

• She was involved in creating a so-called “interim government” with U.S. backing, whose self-declared president assumed office without an election.

Stance on Israel and Palestine

• Machado has expressed open support for Israel and admiration for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• She has vowed to move Venezuela’s embassy to occupied Jerusalem if she becomes president — aligning fully with Israel’s controversial policies.

• She supported Israeli military actions in Gaza, including attacks that struck hospitals and killed civilians.

• In 2018, she wrote a letter to Netanyahu, calling on Israel to launch a military attack to help overthrow Nicolás Maduro’s government in Venezuela.

Privatization Agenda

• She has proposed privatizing Venezuela’s oil, water, and infrastructure sectors — a policy direction that led to worsening conditions in many Latin American countries during the 1990s.

Violent Protests in 2014

• While the international community viewed the 2014 “La Salida” movement as peaceful, it was, in fact, marked by violent incidents across Venezuela.

Viral Interview and Pro-Israel Stance

According to Jordan-based Roya News, a post-Nobel interview of María with an Israeli TV channel went viral. In the interview, she proudly declared:

“I believe, and I am announcing, that our embassy will be moved to Jerusalem in support of Israel.”

In 2018, she also sent a letter to Israeli PM Netanyahu urging a military operation in Venezuela to remove Maduro.

She has consistently sided with Israel’s aggressive policies in Gaza.

Dedication of the Prize to Trump

After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, María dedicated it to U.S. citizens and President Donald Trump.

According to the BBC, María has maintained close ties with the Trump administration. From hiding, she has continued rallying for foreign intervention against the Venezuelan government.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio once called her:

“The embodiment of resilience, determination, and patriotism.”

After the controversial 2024 elections, the Venezuelan government arrested María. At the time, Trump personally posted on social media demanding her release.