Overview

• Machado said she dedicated the prize to the Venezuelan people and to President Trump, and Trump said she called to tell him she accepted it in his honor.
• The Norwegian Nobel Institute said it will examine a sudden pre-announcement surge in Polymarket odds for Machado, citing concerns about a possible leak.
• Diaspora organizations in the U.S. and allied politicians praised the award as a boost for Venezuela’s democratic movement, while critics resurfaced her past posts backing Israel and questioned the prize.
• The committee cited her long campaign for rights and her choice to stay in-country despite threats after being barred from the 2024 election and forced into hiding.
• Coverage places the decision within intensified U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government, including reported naval deployments in the Caribbean and renewed sanctions, which Caracas portrays as a threat.