Overview

• Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, with the committee praising her work for democratic rights and a just, peaceful transition in Venezuela.
• Shortly after the announcement, she publicly pledged to dedicate the prize to U.S. President Donald Trump and spoke with him by phone, according to reporting.
• Foreign Policy reports that Machado has endorsed the U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean and defended lethal strikes on boats the United States identified as narcotics traffickers.
• The U.S. deployment, described as including more than eight vessels, a nuclear-powered submarine, and over 10,000 personnel, has raised legal and ethical concerns highlighted by commentators.
• Opinion coverage notes that U.S. lawmakers Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz were among those who nominated Machado, as debate intensifies over what her alignment with Trump’s approach signals for the prize’s meaning.