In summary, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize decision highlights a sharp contrast between María Corina Machado’s brave and persistent efforts for democracy in Venezuela and Donald Trump’s claims to major diplomatic accomplishments. Machado’s victory places renewed international focus on the struggle for freedom and human rights in Venezuela, while casting a spotlight on the limits and controversies of Trump’s foreign policy record. The coming weeks and months will likely reveal how Trump responds to this unexpected snub—whether with grace and humility, anger and defiance, or strategic political maneuvering.
