By Suraj Karowa and Sophie Tanno/ANW
Oslo, Norway – December 10, 2025

Ana Corina Sosa, the daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, receives the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother’s behalf in Oslo.

In a poignant display of resilience and familial solidarity, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, the 34-year-old daughter of Venezuela’s embattled opposition leader María Corina Machado, stepped onto the stage in Oslo’s grand City Hall on Wednesday to accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on her mother’s behalf.

The ceremony, steeped in the somber symbolism of a nation gripped by authoritarianism, underscored the Machado family’s unyielding fight for democracy in Venezuela—a battle that has cost them exile, threats, and now, a bittersweet laurel delivered through a proxy.

The elder Machado, 58, a fierce critic of President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, was awarded the prize for her “tireless promotion of democratic rights” and her pivotal role in spearheading a “just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” as stated by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Ana Corina Sosa Machado delivers a speech at the award ceremony in Oslo.

Barred from international travel for over a decade by Venezuelan authorities, Machado had vowed to defy the ban and attend the event in person.

Her audacious plan, however, unraveled at the eleventh hour due to “extreme danger,” forcing her daughter to deliver the acceptance speech amid a swirl of conflicting updates and heightened security concerns.

As the clock ticked toward the ceremony’s start, an audio message from Machado, released by the Norwegian Nobel Institute, crackled with determination.

“I will be in Oslo. I am on my way to Oslo right now,” she declared in a voice steady yet laced with urgency.

She extended profound gratitude to those who had “risked their lives” to facilitate her covert journey, noting that her flight was departing “literally right now.”

The recording, timestamped just minutes before the event, painted a vivid picture of clandestine logistics: hushed whispers in safe houses, encrypted communications, and the ever-present shadow of Maduro’s intelligence apparatus.

Yet, as the golden Nobel medals gleamed under the chandeliers and the orchestra swelled with Edvard Grieg’s stirring “Peer Gynt,” Machado’s seat remained conspicuously empty.

Her representatives issued a terse clarification: “We confirm that she will not attend the Nobel ceremony, but we are optimistic about her participation in the rest of the day’s events.”

Organizers echoed the disappointment while expressing relief. “María Corina has done everything in her power to attend today’s ceremony,” read their statement.

“Although she will not be able to attend the ceremony or today’s events, we are deeply relieved to confirm that she is safe and will be joining us in Oslo.”

The absence amplified the ceremony’s emotional weight, transforming it into a global rallying cry for Venezuela’s opposition.

Ana Corina Sosa Machado, a soft-spoken economist who has largely stayed out of the political spotlight, rose to the occasion with a speech that blended personal vulnerability with national aspiration.

Dressed in a simple black gown embroidered with the colors of Venezuela’s flag—yellow, blue, and red—she evoked visions of a reclaimed future.

“We will see grandmothers settle children on their laps to tell them stories not of distant forefathers, but of their own parents’ courage,” she said, her voice breaking slightly as applause rippled through the hall.

The prize, Sosa Machado emphasized, was more than an accolade; it was a beacon reminding the world that “democracy is essential to peace.”

Drawing from her mother’s decades-long odyssey—from engineering professor to congressional firebrand to the architect of massive 2024 protests that nearly toppled Maduro—she hammered home a universal lesson: “What we Venezuelans can offer the world is the lesson forged through this long and difficult journey: that to have democracy, we must be willing to fight for freedom.”

Machado’s nomination and win come at a precarious juncture for Venezuela. The oil-rich South American nation, once the continent’s wealthiest, has spiraled into economic ruin under Maduro’s socialist policies, hyperinflation, and U.S. sanctions.

Corruption scandals, human rights abuses, and the suppression of dissent have driven over 7.7 million citizens to flee since 2014, creating the world’s largest displacement crisis outside of war zones.

Machado’s rise as opposition standard-bearer gained explosive momentum in July 2024, when her proxy presidential candidacy—after she was disqualified by the regime—ignited street demonstrations that security forces quashed with brutal force, killing dozens and arresting thousands.

Her Nobel recognition, announced in October, sent shockwaves through Caracas. Maduro dismissed it as a “gringo plot,” while state media branded Machado a “fugitive terrorist.”

Supporters, however, hailed it as vindication. “This is oxygen for our struggle,” tweeted Leopoldo López, another exiled opposition figure, from Spain.

International allies, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has long vowed to oust Maduro, amplified the moment.

Trump’s transition team has reportedly drafted contingency plans for a post-Maduro Venezuela, including economic aid packages and refugee repatriation strategies—though critics warn such interventions could exacerbate instability.

The Oslo events also spotlighted the human cost of authoritarianism. Machado, who lives in hiding within Venezuela, has endured assassination attempts, including a 2023 car bomb plot foiled by allies.

Her family, scattered across continents, embodies the diaspora: Sosa Machado resides in Washington, D.C., where she advocates for Venezuelan causes at think tanks like the Atlantic Council.

“My mother taught me that fear is the regime’s greatest weapon,” she confided to reporters post-ceremony.

“But love—for our people, our history—disarms it.”
As the night wore on, whispers circulated that Machado had indeed touched down in Norway under heavy guard, perhaps to rendezvous with Nobel dignitaries in private.

The Institute remained tight-lipped, prioritizing her safety. In a related development, Venezuelan exiles in Oslo staged a candlelit vigil outside the U.S. Embassy, chanting “Libertad o muerte” (Freedom or death) and projecting Machado’s image onto the building’s facade.

The Nobel’s timing intersects with brewing geopolitical tensions. Trump’s impending return to the White House has revived talk of aggressive measures against Maduro, from oil embargoes to covert operations.

A recent CNN investigation revealed U.S. pledges of $1.9 billion to global health initiatives, including polio eradication, but with strings attached to Venezuelan compliance on democratic reforms.

Meanwhile, Maduro’s defiance persists; last week, he hosted a summit with Russian and Iranian delegates, touting alliances against “imperialist aggression.”

For Venezuelans, the Machado saga is a microcosm of hope amid despair. “This prize isn’t just for one woman—it’s for every protester tear-gassed in Caracas, every child smuggled across the border,” said Maria Elena, a Miami-based exile who watched the ceremony via livestream.

As Sosa Machado concluded her remarks—”From the ashes of dictatorship, we rise”—the hall erupted, a thunderous affirmation that Venezuela’s democratic flame, though flickering, endures.

Yet challenges loom. With Trump’s inauguration looming and Maduro’s grip tightening ahead of 2026 midterms, the path to “orderly transition” remains fraught.

Analysts predict escalated repression, but also potential cracks in the regime’s facade, fueled by military defections and economic implosion.

In Oslo’s crisp winter air, as confetti settled and dignitaries dispersed, Ana Corina Sosa Machado lingered on stage, clutching the Nobel diploma.

It was a stand-in for her mother, but also a promise: the fight, far from over, has captured the world’s gaze.

For now, that’s a victory worth celebrating—and a call to action no one can ignore.

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