Who is Maria Corina Machado? Venezuelan woman who shattered Trump's 'Nobel' wish

- Announcing the award, Nobel Committee chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes described Machado as “a brave and committed champion of peace” and “a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness.”

- Machado, a central figure in Venezuela's pro-democracy movement, is a powerful symbol of civilian courage in Latin America. For decades, she has defied the repressive regime of Nicolas Maduro, enduring threats, arrests and political persecution. Despite living under constant risk, she has remained in Venezuela, inspiring millions through her insistence on peaceful resistance and free elections.

- Maria, also known as the Venezuelan Iron Lady, was also on this year’s TIME Magazine “100 most influential People” list.

- Machado is a Venezuelan politician, industrial engineer, and leader of the - opposition movement VENTE Venezuela, a center-right political party she founded in 2012.

- She gained prominence after her landslide victory in the 2023 opposition primary, where she won more than 92 per cent of the vote, positioning herself as a central figure in the campaign for free and fair elections.

- Over the years, Maria has become a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism in Venezuela’s male-dominated political landscape. The BBC named her among the 100 most influential women in the world in 2018.