Since July 2024, Venezuela has once again fallen under the authoritarian regime of Nicolas Maduro. After a rigged election, presidential candidates Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado were declared enemies of the state, prompting Edmundo Gonzalez to flee to Spain and Maria Corina Machado to go into hiding. Previous to the elections, there were about 300 political prisoners in jail; however, since the polls, that number has gone through the roof because of constant protesting against Maduro’s government. Venezuela is a country controlled by the fear of speaking out against corruption.
Who is Maria Corina Machado, and what has she done for the Venezuelan cause?
Maria Corina Machado is the leader of the centrist-right political party Vente Venezuela, and served as a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly until 2014. In the early 2000s, Machado founded Sumaté, which advocated for voting rights and protested against Hugo Chavez, another corrupt dictator of Venezuela at the time. In 2023, she won the opposition party’s primary elections, making her the primary candidate against Maduro. Due to allegations by Maduro’s government that Machado was involved in a corruption plot led by Juan Gaido (actual winner of the 2018 presidential elections), Machado was disqualified, with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia taking her place.
In 2024 Maduro “won” the election. Trying to prove fraud, Machado and the supporters of the opposition party collected and digitalized 80% of the tally sheets, called actas, that were at every voting station. They also launched a web portal where citizens could use their national ID numbers to view the actas from their voting station, which allowed for public verification of the results. Edmundo Gonzalez was the legitimate winner, with about 70% of the votes. Still, the National Electoral Council claimed Maduro earned 51% of the votes.
Machado also rallied Venezuelans to protest in the capital city, Caracas, as well as other cities around the nation. On the eve of Maduro’s Inauguration, Machado led massive protests in Caracas. She was detained and forced to record videos recognizing Venezuela’s “true” regime. After her release, in hiding, she became a symbol of freedom and resistance.
Maduro’s government responded by detaining members of the opposition party who helped reveal the fraudulent elections or helped Machado escape persecution. The treatment of these political prisoners has drawn international attention. Many have died in prison, and there are also allegations of torture and sexual harassment.
Where is Maria Corina Machado now?
Machado was the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. After 12 years of not being able to leave the country and 11 months of hiding, she escaped to Oslo, Norway, to receive the award. Her journey involved her avoiding military checkpoints, surviving rough seas, and hoping that no US drone-strike would mistake her small vessel for a drug cartel boat. Machado did not arrive in Oslo in time to receive the award, but her daughter accepted on her behalf. Still, when Machado arrived in Oslo, she was greeted by a crowd of supporters inspired by her bravery and courage. Maria Corina Machado is the reflection of courage and determination, fighting for liberty and democracy of her country. Her actions transcend borders, impacting and inspiring people worldwide.
