Seher Asaf
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights".

The committee described the 58-year-old activist as a "woman who keeps the flame of democracy going, amidst a growing darkness" and commended her for her efforts to "achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy".

"I'm in shock," Machado, who has been in hiding since August 2024, said in first public remarks since the announcement.

Machado was barred from running in last year's presidential elections won by President Nicolás Maduro. The polls were widely dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair.

Despite the ban, she managed to attract huge crowds in Caracas to rally for their chosen candidate – Edmundo González, writes BBC's South American correspondent Ione Wells.

Machado has refused to leave the country even though the Maduro government has threatened her with arrest.

The lead-up to this year's announcement was dominated by Donald Trump's very public campaign to win the prize, which was supported by some world leaders.

Asked about the pressure from the US president, committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said: "We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel."

We are now ending our live coverage, but you can read more about Machado in our main article. Thanks for following along.

What comes next for Venezuela's opposition?published at 13:18 BST

13:18 BST

Ione Wells
South America correspondent

This Nobel Prize will be hugely welcomed by Venezuela's opposition, as a way to draw further international attention to the situation in Venezuela.

But there are big questions for the opposition about where it goes next. It's something we, as international journalists, have often asked Machado in the press conferences she has sometimes given from hiding.

Much of the leadership is in exile or in hiding, because of safety fears and threats from the authorities in Venezuela. While some countries have recognised Edmundo González, the opposition candidate, as the president-elect this has not yet translated into further leverage inside Venezuela.

Repression, and crackdowns on dissent in the country, remain common. There are dozens of political prisoners. The country is suffering a deep economic crisis too.

So far, the armed forces, police, intelligence agencies and key militia groups have remained loyal to Nicolás Maduro. Calls from the opposition for the military or security forces to abandon him have so far not produced significant defections.

There is still a lingering question mark about how far Machado's international allies, like Donald Trump, would be prepared to go to intervene. There have been reports that some of Trump’s officials want to oust Maduro.

In recent weeks, the US has bombed at least four vessels in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela killing at least 21 people. The US claims they are drug trafficking vessels but has not provided any details or evidence about those on board and some lawyers believe the strikes breach international law.

Some in the region, including Maduro himself, believe these strikes coupled with the military presence the US is building near Venezuela show Trump's real objective is to remove Maduro from power.

Image source, Reuters

The Nobel Peace Prize has a long history going back to 1901, when the prize was first awarded.

We will be bringing our live coverage to a close soon, but before we go, here's a look at some notable facts about the coveted award:

• At the age of 17, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to win the award in 2014 for her fight for the right of every child to get an education
• The oldest person to win the award is Scientist Joseph Rotblat, who won in 1995 at the age of 86 for his work to "diminish the part played by nuclear arms"
• Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho famously declined the award in 1973, saying he was not in the position to accept it, citing the Vietnam War as his reason
• Four US presidents have won it, namely Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama

Norberto Paredes
BBC Mundo correspondent

Throughout the years, many Venezuelan opposition leaders have come and gone. Some of them have fallen into oblivion.

Not only has María Corina Machado stayed with her unwavering fight for democracy, but she has become increasingly relevant and has managed to gain support from Venezuelans from all social backgrounds and political beliefs.

She has resisted the attacks from the Venezuelan government which has repeatedly accused her of being a radical right-wing politician born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

She has managed to unify the opposition and those who believe in a better Venezuela in a country that has been divided for many, many years.

Norberto Paredes
BBC Mundo correspondent

I followed María Corina Machado in the streets of Caracas when she was campaigning for the presidential election last year, next to the opposition candidate Edmundo González.

From an old truck that had become the press vehicle, I saw thousands of Venezuelans shout her name and even cry as soon as they saw her pass in another vehicle ahead of ours.

They gave her flowers, Venezuelan flags, rosaries, and many other items that she picked up and put aside.

"God bless and protect you, Maria Corina", "You're my queen", "You're my president", "I love you", they would shout visibly moved by this woman who has been through a lot.

Since becoming a lawmaker in 2010, she has become a mother figure for millions of Venezuelans.

Vanessa Buschschlüter
BBC News Online Latin America and Caribbean editor

María Corina Machado has continued to lobby for international support from hiding inside Venezuela.

She has established a close relationship with members of the Trump administration, many of whom have praised her for refusal to give up even in the face of repeated threats of arrest.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called her "the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism".

Meanwhile, relations between the Trump administration and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have become extremely tense as the US has deployed a number of warships to patrol the waters off the Venezuelan coast for boats carrying drugs.

The US has bombed several boats it said were carrying drugs, killing at least 21 people.

Image source, Reuters

Speaking to the Newshour programme on the BBC World Service last week, María Corina Machado said: "I totally support the international deployment and coalition that's working in the Caribbean to stop the flow of illegal drug income to the regime."

When asked if she was calling for a US-led overthrow of the Maduro government in the name of tackling drug smuggling she told the BBC's James Menendez: "Regime change was already mandated by the people in presidential elections under terrible, extreme conditions."

"We need Maduro to understand that his only option right now is accept the terms of a peaceful transition, that he has to go.

"He won't go unless he realises that there is a credible threat, that things are going to get worse every day that goes by for them."

María Corina Machado appeared on the BBC's HARDtalk programme in 2024.

She described what she said were the restrictions on her life, including on her movement and being barred from leaving Venezuela.

However, she spoke with hope about the democratic movement she leads.

Ione Wells
South America correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The opposition movement in Venezuela, spearheaded by María Corina Machado, has many allies worldwide.

After last year’s election, the US and the European Parliament formally recognised Edmundo González as Venezuela's President. The UK dismissed Nicolás Maduro’s election win as "fraudulent".

When Machado was briefly arrested during protests ahead of President Maduro’s inauguration, Donald Trump posted a statement saying that she and the "president-elect González" are "peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime".

He added that: "These freedom fighters should not be harmed and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!"

Both Machado and González were accused of "treason" after the election by the Venezuelan government.

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has issued its congratulations for this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado.

"This recognition reflects the clear aspirations of the people of Venezuela for free and fair elections, for civil and political rights and for the rule of law," says OHCHR spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen joined in with congratulatory remarks, as she says the award to Machado honours not only her courage and conviction but also "every voice that refuses to be silenced", adding: "In Venezuela and across the world."

"The spirit of freedom cannot be jailed. The thirst for democracy always prevails," she adds.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoes the same sentiment, as he congratulates Machado for being "a voice for freedom worldwide".

Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, says she is "so proud of the brave" Machado.

In a post on X, Metsola writes that Machado's "tireless struggle for freedom and democracy in Venezuela has touched hearts and inspired millions across the globe".

Vanessa Buschschlüter
BBC News Online Latin America and Caribbean editor

Image source, Reuters

The Maduro government has often threatened to arrest María Corina Machado.

She was briefly detained when she emerged from hiding to attend an opposition rally in January but an immediate outcry inside Venezuela and on an international level led to her being quickly released.

The international recognition that comes with being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize will help shield María Corina Machado as she continues to campaign from hiding inside Venezuela.

It also shines a spotlight on the repression that the Maduro government has unleashed on the opposition and those connected to it.

The man who ran for president in her stead when she was barred - Edmundo González - is one of the many who has been at the receiving end of that pressure.

His son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, was arbitrarily seized by the security forces in January and has been held in detention ever since at an undisclosed location without being allowed to contact his family.

According to the NGO Foro Penal, there are currently 841 political prisoners being held in detention in Venezuela.

The White House's communications director says the "Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace" in response to the announcement of the winner.

In a post on X, Steven Cheung writes that US President Donald Trump "will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives".

The president "has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will".

Trump had been gunning to win the award, and many of his supporters campaigned alongside him, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Nobel Committee has just released a video of when they informed Machado that she won the prize, a few minutes before it was announced to the world.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, becomes emotional and his voice breaks as he informs the Venezuelan politician of the news.

"Oh my God," is the response. Machado says it five times, before saying: "I have no words."

Machado thanks the committee, and says emotionally it's the "achievement of a whole society".

"I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this."

Machado says she thinks it will take a while to believe the news, and thanks them for the "honour" again, in an emotional voice.

Image source, Nobel Prize Committee

Mark Lowen
BBC News

This has been a very difficult choice for the Norwegian Nobel Committee, because of course they need to choose the candidate who they believe most merits this award. But the committee has also faced unprecedented pressure from Donald Trump.

The committee would never disclose this, and they would never say this, but I think this is a very delicate and smart move.

Machado is a woman who represents an opposition in Venezuela that is supported by the Trump administration. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, described Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as "illegitimate".

In recent weeks, we have seen the Trump administration bomb Venezuelan boats carrying what they believe are smugglers and drugs trying to reach the United States.

The Nobel committee have chosen somebody who will not incur the wrath of the Trump administration or trigger a retaliation. I'm not saying that is what is motivating the Nobel committee, but it is an interesting move.

Edmundo González, who replaced Machado in running for leadership and was then sent into exile, congratulates his ally.

Machado threw her weight behind him during the lead up to last year's elections.

In a post on X, González writes that the prize is "well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy".

"Venezuela's first Nobel! Venezuela will be free!".

María Corina Machado says she is in "shock" to hear news that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace prize this year.

In a video sent by her press team to the AFP news agency, Machado tells Edmundo González - who replaced her as candidate when she was barred from running - "I'm in shock!".

"We're shocked with joy," replies González, who went into exile almost a year ago. "What is this? I can't believe it," insists the 58-year-old Machado, who lives in hiding in Venezuela.

The video has also been posted on González's X account.

By Vanessa Buschschlüter
BBC News Online Latin America editor

Image source, Reuters

Venezuela's opposition has for many years been notoriously divided and riven by infighting.

Leaders of different factions have often spent more time attacking each other's strategies than attacking Nicolás Maduro, the man they are seeking to depose from power.

But María Corina Machado managed to unite those often bickering factions behind her ahead of last year's presidential election.

Even after she was barred from running for the presidency, she succeeded in getting the opposition - and millions of Venezuelans - behind the little-known candidate which replaced her on the ballot, Edmundo González.

When the government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner - even though tallies from the polling stations showed that González had won by a landslide - Machado did not give up.

She has been continuing to campaign from hiding and has refused to leave the country even though the Maduro government has repeatedly threatened her with arrest.

Image source, Jesus Vargas/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump is a long-time critic of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In August, his administration doubled a reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest, accusing him of being "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world".

The reward now stands at $50m (£37.2m). Venezuela's government dismissed the move as "pathetic".

Maduro - who is leader of the United Socialist Party and succeeded Hugo Chavez in 2013 - has been repeatedly accused of repressing opposition groups and silencing dissent in Venezuela, including with the use of violence.

He returned to office in January following an election marred by vote-rigging allegations. The results were widely rejected by the international community.

Image source, AFP

María Corina Machado has been in hiding since August 2024. The Venezuelan opposition leader disappeared from the public following elections in July of that year.

She announced the decision in a letter published by the Wall Street Journal. , externalIt was titled: I Can Prove Maduro Got Trounced.

"I am writing this from hiding, fearing for my life, my freedom, and that of my fellow countrymen from the dictatorship led by Nicolás Maduro," she wrote.

In the letter, she says she has proof that Nicolás Maduro didn't win the election, and said it was "unthinkable" he would concede.

Machado then details steps Maduro's government took, such as barring her from running and disqualifying her replacement.

But, she says they didn't expect that the people "are like a tidal wave" and fought back. "Minutes after returns began coming in, we confirmed that our victory was overwhelming."

She explains that when protests broke out, most of her team went into hiding, and states: "I could be captured as I write these words."

She was seen briefly at a protest in January, where the government arrested her for a short time and then released her.

Ione Wells
South America correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

María Corina Machado is the opposition leader in Venezuela. She was barred from running in last year's presidential elections, which were widely dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair.

When I was in Caracas for the elections, she managed to attract huge crowds to the streets to rally for their candidate – Edmundo González.

She alarmed Nicolás Maduro's government as, for once, a unifying figure for the country's opposition who was capable of attracting thousands of people to the streets – and to polling stations.

All the polls last year pointed to her movement winning. And yet, Nicolás Maduro won office for a third term despite election observers documenting many irregularities. I witnessed some myself, such as people being forced to wait hours outside polling stations.

After the election result, there were protests around the country. But, these swiftly were quashed by a crackdown by the authorities.

Machado herself has been living in hiding pretty much ever since, with the exception of a brief appearance during a protest ahead of Maduro's inauguration in January. She was briefly arrested, and then freed.

Jørgen Watne Frydnes is asked about Machado's safety and security now that she has been awarded this prize.

Machado is in hiding and has been so since August 2024.

Frydnes says it's a discussion they have every year, "particularly when the person who receives the prize is in hiding because of serious threats to her life".

He explains she is active and will continue to be in Venezuela, so therefore they have taken the consideration that the prize will "support her cause and not limit it".

When asked if they expect to see her at the prize giving in Oslo in December, he says they would hope to but acknowledge there's a serious security situation.

He thanks everyone for coming, ending the press conference.