who is maria corina machado

María Corina Machado is a Venezuelan politician, industrial engineer, and prominent opposition leader known for her strong advocacy for democracy and human rights in Venezuela. She has served as a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014 and is the National Coordinator of the political party Vente Venezuela. Machado co-founded Súmate, an organization focused on election monitoring and transparency, and played a leading role in organizing protests against the government of Nicolás Maduro. Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her tireless work promoting democratic rights and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela. She has faced persecution, disqualification from public office, and threats to her life due to her activism. Despite this, she continues to lead efforts against authoritarianism and remains a symbol of hope and resistance in her country. Machado has also been recognized internationally, including being named one of BBC's 100 Women in 2018 and listed among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2025.