Global Rallies Celebrate Maria Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize as Tensions Mount in Venezuela

Supporters Worldwide Rally After Machado Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado staged demonstrations in dozens of cities around the world to celebrate her Nobel Peace Prize and press for a democratic transition in Venezuela ahead of the Oslo award ceremony.

On Saturday, thousands marched in Madrid, Utrecht, Buenos Aires, Lima, Brisbane and other cities. Demonstrators in Lima carried portraits of Machado and chanted calls for a "Free Venezuela," many draped in the yellow, blue and red national flag or wearing it on caps. Posters read, "The Nobel Prize Is From Venezuela." Organisers said they expected protests in more than 80 cities globally.

"It represents all Venezuelans, the fallen and the political prisoners in their fight to recover democracy," said Veronica Duran, a 41-year-old Venezuelan living in Lima, describing why the prize resonated among the diaspora.

Scenes From The Diaspora

In Bogota, Venezuelans wearing white T-shirts and carrying balloons held a religious-style ceremony asking that the Nobel become "a symbol of hope" for people back home. In Buenos Aires, some 500 supporters gathered on the steps of the law school, using mobile phone lights to improvise a torchlit march.

"We Venezuelans in the world have a smile today... the dignity of the Venezuelan people have been recognised with the Nobel Peace Prize," Machado said in a video message shared on social media.

Political Context And Security Concerns

The rallies come amid heightened tensions in Venezuela's protracted crisis. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has built up a military presence in the Caribbean, drawing sharp criticism from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who says the move aims to remove him from power. The Trump administration does not recognise Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president.

Maduro claimed victory in the July 28, 2024, presidential vote — a result rejected by the U.S. and several Western governments and criticised by independent observers. Machado won the opposition primary and planned to run against Maduro but was barred from candidacy; retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez ran in her place and later sought asylum in Spain after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

Machado has been in hiding since August 2024 and has not been seen publicly since she was briefly detained on January 9 after taking part in a small Caracas protest. She has said she will use the international attention from the Nobel to highlight Venezuela's democratic aspirations.

Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10 "for keeping the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness," the Nobel committee said. Kristian Berg Harpviken, head of the Nobel Institute, told AFP Machado had confirmed she intends to travel to Oslo to receive the prize, but he declined to disclose logistical details "given the security situation."

What Comes Next: Supporters say the prize amplifies calls for democratic reform and protection of human rights in Venezuela, while international focus on the country’s political future and regional security remains intense.