U.S. President Donald Trump has missed out on the coveted Nobel Peace Prize this year, which instead went to Venezuelan democracy activist and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
In the Oct. 10 announcement in Oslo, Norway by the Nobel Committee, Machado was lauded for her"tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela, and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."
Machado, 58, is a prominent figure of the democratic forces of the South American country currently under authoritarian regime.
She was intended as Venezuela's opposition's presidential candidate in 2024, but her candidacy was blocked by the regime.
In winning the Nobel Peace Prize, she fulfilled all three criteria stated in prize founder Alfred Nobel's will, namely in bringing her country's opposition together, never wavering in resisting Venezuela's militarisation and being steadfast in her support of a peaceful transition to democracy, the Nobel Committee said.
"In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding.
Despite serious threats against her life she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions of people."
Trump misses out
Trump missed out on being awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize despite his repeated claims to it, including claiming he has helped to"end seven undeniable wars".
The Guardian noted that this claim is false.
@mothershipsg “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalising the deal,” U.S. President Donald Trump said at the 80th United Nations General Assembly session on Sep. 23. These wars include, according to Trump, Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia and Armenia and Azerbaijan. #fyp #news ♬ original sound - Mothership
The White House also previously alluded to Trump's bid to win the prize by sharing an image of him labeled"The Peace President".
In a Truth Social post on Jan. 9, Trump expressed his support for Venezuelan democracy activists, specifically naming Machado.
"These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!" he wrote, after it was reported that Machado had been abducted while en route to a rally against Venezuelan authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro.
