Ana Corina Sosa, daughter of the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on her mother's behalf this Wednesday at the Oslo City Hall, as her mother was unable to arrive in time for the ceremony due to the obstacles imposed by Nicolás Maduro's regime.
The event, presided over by Kings Harald V and Sonia of Norway, was filled with emotion and symbolism. Amidst a standing ovation from the audience, Sosa took to the stage to receive the diploma and medal of the award, valued at 11 million Swedish crowns (equivalent to one million euros or 1.2 million dollars), from the hands of the president of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jørgen Watne Frydnes.
"My mother never breaks a promise, and for that reason, with all the joy in my heart, I can tell you that in just a few hours we will be able to hug her here in Oslo after 16 months," Sosa declared, visibly moved, in front of a large photograph of Machado.
The young woman also remembered "the other daughters and sons who will not be able to see their mothers today," referring to the political prisoners and those persecuted by the Chavista regime.
The ceremony was attended by Argentine President Javier Milei, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, and the presidents of Panama and Paraguay, José Raúl Mulino and Santiago Peña, respectively.
In his acceptance speech, Frydnes issued a strong call to Maduro to step down and allow "a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela."
"He must accept the electoral results and resign from his position, as that is the will of the Venezuelan people. María Corina Machado and the opposition have ignited a flame that no torture, lie, or fear can extinguish," stated the president of the Nobel Committee, provoking a prolonged ovation.
Frydnes also denounced the political repression in Venezuela and the serious humanitarian crisis that has driven more than eight million Venezuelans away, describing the situation as "one of the largest refugee crises in the world."
Meanwhile, Machado continues his journey to Oslo, as confirmed by the Nobel Institute, after several failed attempts to leave the country. His arrival, expected in the coming hours, leaves his family and the international community on edge.
The award, granted on October 9, recognizes Machado's tireless struggle for democracy and human rights in Venezuela, a cause she has herself linked to the resistance of the Cuban and Nicaraguan peoples against dictatorships.
Although physically absent, his voice resonated today in Oslo. And his name, already inscribed in history, became a symbol of hope for millions of Latin Americans who dream of freedom.
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