The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan democracy advocate, bypassing former US President Donald Trump despite his active pursuit of the accolade. Trump, upon returning to the presidency in January, had made public appeals for the award, frequently asserting his role in ending wars and brokering peace. His supporters pointed to his administration’s claimed achievements, such as the Israel-Hamas peace deal and his assertion of halting India-Pakistan hostilities, though India has denied his involvement in the latter.
The exclusion of Trump from the Nobel Peace Prize contention is primarily attributed to submission deadlines. All nominations received for him were allegedly submitted after the strict February 1 cutoff date. The nomination window for the 2025 prize concluded in late January, just after Trump’s inauguration. Additionally, the Nobel Committee evaluates candidates based on contributions made in the year preceding the award. Since the 2025 prize specifically looks at accomplishments in 2024, a time when Trump was president-elect and had not yet assumed office, he was ineligible based on the award’s retrospective criteria.
Maria Corina Machado’s victory celebrates her tireless efforts in championing democratic ideals and fostering a peaceful transition away from authoritarianism in Venezuela. Her leadership has become a symbol of democratic resilience and the pursuit of freedom in a nation grappling with political turmoil.
