Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado highlighted the connection between Iran’s support for Venezuela’s Maduro regime and Tehran’s backing of terrorist groups, framing the conflict as part of a global struggle between freedom and authoritarianism.

Nobel Peace Prize Recognition

On October 10, 2025, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Machado the Peace Prize for her long-standing efforts promoting democracy and human rights in Venezuela.

The committee cited her “unwavering advocacy for peaceful democratic change” in the face of repression under President Nicolás Maduro, describing her as “a symbol of courage and integrity in an age when democracy is under attack.”

Machado, 58, accepted the award “on behalf of every Venezuelan who refuses to give up on freedom,” speaking emotionally to reporters.

Phone Call with Netanyahu: A Shared Battle

One week after her Nobel win, Machado spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulating him on Israel’s “decisive leadership” and praising battlefield successes and hostage release efforts.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Machado wrote:

We Venezuelans deeply value peace, and we know that achieving it requires courage, resilience, and moral integrity to confront authoritarian powers that deny freedom. The Iranian regime—the main supporter of Maduro’s dictatorship—also supports terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The battle between freedom and authoritarianism is global.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado

Netanyahu reportedly commended Machado for her commitment to democratic values, drawing parallels between Venezuela’s democratic struggle and Israel’s fight against terrorism.

Machado’s Pro-Israel Stance

Machado’s support for Israel is longstanding. In 2020, her political party Vente Venezuela signed a cooperation agreement with Netanyahu’s Likud Party covering political, ideological, and security collaboration.

She has repeatedly defended Israel’s right to self-defense, including following Iran’s missile attacks in April 2024 and the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023.