Democracies must be prepared to fight for freedom in order to survive, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado said on Wednesday (December 10), in a speech delivered by her daughter during a ceremony Machado could not attend.

The Venezuelan opposition leader said that the prize held profound significance, not only for her country but for the world.

"It reminds the world that democracy is essential to peace," she said via her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, whose voice cracked when she spoke of her mother.

A large portrait of a smiling Machado hung in the Oslo City Hall to represent her. The audience cheered and clapped when Norwegian Nobel Committee head Joergen Watne Frydnes said during his speech that Machado would be coming to Oslo.

The 58-year-old engineer was due to receive the award in Oslo, in the presence of King Harald, in defiance of a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in her home country and after spending more than a year in hiding.

But she was unable to reach the Norwegian capital in time for the ceremony.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

OSLO, NORWAY (DECEMBER 10, 2025) (NOBEL PRIZE OUTREACH/NRK – See restrictions before use)

1. TRUMPET/ DAUGHTER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO ENTERING ROOM WITH MEMBER OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE ASLE TOJE

2. TRUMPET/ NORWAY’S KING HARALD AND CHAIR OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE, JOERGEN WATNE FRYDNES, ENTERING ROOM, FOLLOWED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

3. MEMBERS OF ROYAL FAMILY SEATED

4. VARIOUS OF CHAIR OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE, JOERGEN WATNE FRYDNES, AT PODIUM

5. KING HARALD, QUEEN SONJA, CROWN PRINCE HAAKON AND CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT LISTENING

6. FRYDNES ADDRESSING AUDIENCE

7. (SOUNDBITE)(English) CHAIR OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE, JOERGEN WATNE FRYDNES, SAYING:

“Amid this darkness, we find Venezuelans who have refused to give up. Those who keep the flame of democracy alive, who never yield despite the enormous personal costs. They remind us continually of what is at stake.”

8. VENEZUEALAN POLITICIAN AND OPPOSITION FIGURE, EDMUNDO GONZALEZ URRUTIA, SEATED

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIR OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE, JOERGEN WATNE FRYDNES, SAYING:

“Although she will not be able to reach this ceremony and today’s events, we are profoundly happy to confirm that she is safe and that she will be with us here in Oslo.”

10. VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

11. PICTURE OF MACHADO

12. ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO APPLAUDING

13. MEMBERS OF THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE APPLAUDING

14. FRYDNES WELCOMING ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO TO RECEIVE THE NOBEL PRIZE

15. VARIOUS OF CORINA SOSA MACHADO RECEIVING THE NOBEL DIPLOMA AND MEDAL ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER

16. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

17. WIDE OF HALL

18. ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO WALKING TO PODIUM

19. VARIOUS OF ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO AT PODIUM

20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAUGHTER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO, SAYING:

“I am here on behalf of my mother Maria Corina Machado who has united millions of Venezuelans in an extraordinary effort that you, our hosts, have honoured with a Nobel Peace Prize.”

21. PICTURE OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO

22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAUGHTER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO, SAYING:

“And as I wait for that moment to hug her, to kiss her, to embrace her after two years, I think of the other daughters and sons who do not get to see their mothers today.”

23. MOTHER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE MARIA CORINA MACHADO, CORINA PARISCA PEREZ DE MACHADO, LISTENING

24. ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO SPEAKING

25. MEMBERS OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO’S FAMILY LISTENING

26. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAUGHTER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO, SAYING:

“This prize carries profound meaning; it reminds the world that democracy is essential to peace. And more than anything, what we Venezuelans can offer the world is the lesson forged through this long and difficult journey: that to have democracy, we must be willing to fight for freedom. And freedom is a choice that must be renewed each day, measured by our willingness and our courage to defend it. For this reason, the cause of Venezuela transcends our borders. A people who choose freedom contribute not only to themselves, but to humanity.”

27. ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO SPEAKING

28. MEMBERS OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO’S FAMILY LISTENING

29. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAUGHTER OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, MARIA CORINA MACHADO, ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO, SAYING:

“And above all, the millions of anonymous Venezuelans who risked their homes, their families and their lives out of love. To them belongs this honour. To them belongs this day. To them belongs the future. Thank you.”

30. PICTURE OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO

31. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

32. MEMBERS OF ROYAL FAMILY APPLAUDING

33. MEMBERS OF MARIA CORINA MACHADO’S FAMILY

34. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE APPLAUDING

35. WIDE OF HALL AS PEOPLE SIT DOWN

36. KING HARALD GREETING ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO

37. CROWN PRINCE HAAKON SHAKING HANDS WITH MEMBERS OF NOBEL COMMITTEE

38. CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT GREETING ANA CORINA SOSA MACHADO

39. WIDE OF HALL