Global Solidarity Rallies for Maria Corina Machado Ahead of 2025 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony

On Saturday, December 6, 2025, supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado organized synchronized mass demonstrations across dozens of international cities. These rallies served as a powerful expression of solidarity for the 58-year-old Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10, 2025. The events preceded the official award ceremony scheduled for December 10 in Oslo.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized Machado for her unwavering commitment to advancing the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people. Specifically, the award honored her persistent struggle to facilitate a just and peaceful transition away from dictatorship toward democracy. Organizers of the marches reported plans for gatherings in over 80 cities, underscoring the broad international significance of her cause.

These demonstrations unfolded amidst a backdrop of considerable geopolitical friction surrounding Venezuela. Machado, who has been operating underground since January 9, 2025, following a brief detention, has firmly stated her intention to attend the Oslo ceremony. This declaration comes despite explicit threats issued by the government of Nicolás Maduro.

President Maduro, whose July 2024 re-election was widely deemed illegitimate by the United States and various Western governments, previously characterized Machado as a “demonic witch.” This tension is further exacerbated by a significant military buildup by the United States in the Caribbean region. Maduro interprets this deployment as an attempt at regime change. By November 2025, the number of American troops in the area had reached 15,000, marking the largest U.S. military presence in the Caribbean in decades. Concurrently, Maduro announced the mobilization of 4.5 million members of the popular militia and initiated large-scale military exercises.

Major support rallies took place in key Latin American and European capitals. In Lima, Peru, marchers carried portraits of Machado, chanting slogans demanding a “Free Venezuela.” A local resident, Veronica Duran, commented that the prize symbolizes “all Venezuelans who have fallen and all political prisoners in their fight to restore democracy.” In Bogotá, Colombia, supporters held a religious service. Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, approximately 500 individuals participated in an impromptu torchlight procession, utilizing the light from their mobile phones.

Nancy Hoyer, attending the Buenos Aires event, emphasized that the Nobel Prize celebrates “the entire Venezuelan diaspora and all the brave people inside Venezuela who have made sacrifices.” This sentiment resonated across the globe, framing the award as a tribute to widespread, sustained resistance.

The context for Machado’s recognition is deeply rooted in the political crisis that erupted after she won the opposition primaries but was subsequently barred from running in the July 2024 presidential election. Her designated replacement, Edmundo González, a former diplomat, was forced to seek refuge in Spain after an arrest warrant was issued against him late in 2024.

Machado founded the organization Súmate over two decades ago to foster democratic development and was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2025. US President Donald Trump, who began his second term on January 20, 2025, had previously accused Maduro of narco-terrorism, with the White House placing a fifty-million-dollar bounty on his arrest.

Amidst the escalating friction, Venezuelan authorities are reportedly preparing defense scenarios. These reportedly include plans for prolonged guerrilla resistance and a strategy of national “anarchization” should direct U.S. military intervention occur. Christian Berg Harpviken, head of the Nobel Institute, and Machado herself view the award as an affirmation of the dignity and long-term struggle of the Venezuelan populace.

While Maduro dismisses the legitimacy of opposition efforts, Machado has reportedly sought backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, promising to reestablish diplomatic ties should she assume power. These worldwide demonstrations stand as a potent symbolic endorsement of the Venezuelan people’s democratic aspirations just before Machado accepts her prestigious award in Oslo.