Maria Corina Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize despite Trump's accomplishments

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader. The decision was announced by the committee's president, Joergen Watne Frydnes, who described Machado as a "brave and committed defender of peace."

According to Frydnes, the prize recognizes her tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and her fight for a peaceful and just transition from the current authoritarian regime to democracy.

María Corina Machado has been a key figure in the Venezuelan opposition, facing numerous persecutions and restrictions imposed by Nicolás Maduro's regime. Despite this, she has maintained a firm stance in favor of the democratic path and respect for human rights, which was decisive in receiving the award, according to the prize committee. 

The announcement of the prize caused diverse reactions, especially in the context of recent nominations for the same award to U.S. President Donald Trump, promoted by multiple political and social sectors.

Among them, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stands out, an Israeli group representing the families of hostages and victims of the October 7 attacks, who sent a letter to the committee on October 6 highlighting Trump's efforts to promote peace in the Middle East. In the letter, they stated that "no other leader or organization has contributed more to world peace this year than President Trump."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also supported Trump, personally handing him a copy of the letter he sent to the Nobel Committee during a meeting in Washington, D.C. Netanyahu praised Trump for his role in the signing of the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries, and emphasized his role in the current regional stabilization.

He also recalled that recently the United States and Israel carried out joint operations that destroyed part of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, highlighting that these actions have helped prevent a larger conflict.

Despite these nominations and praise, Trump was not eligible to receive the prize this year, since the deadline to submit nominations to the Nobel Committee closed on January 31.

This means that the current proposals should be considered for the 2026 prize. It is worth noting that Trump had already been nominated previously, in 2020, also for his role in the Abraham Accords, when he was nominated by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, although he was not selected on that occasion.

In recent statements, Steven Cheung, White House communications director under the Trump administration, strongly criticized the Nobel Committee, accusing it of prioritizing political interests over real merits of peace. Cheung stated that Trump "will continue achieving peace agreements, ending wars, and saving lives," and described him as a unique leader with "the heart of a humanitarian."

Meanwhile, Trump avoided referring directly to the Nobel issue during a cabinet meeting, focusing on his possible future visit to the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), which suggests that he remains very involved in international diplomatic affairs.