María Corina Machado is the leader of Venezuela’s democracy movement and a key figure in advancing the country’s political and economic transition.
In October 2023, she won the opposition primary with 92% of the vote, uniting a broad coalition around a platform centered on institutional restoration, the rule of law, and economic openness. After being barred from appearing on the 2024 presidential ballot, she led the opposition campaign that secured a decisive electoral mandate for democratic change. In 2025, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and her struggle for a just and peaceful transition to democracy.
Machado served as a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, where she received the highest vote total ever recorded for a candidate to the body. She is the founder of VENTE Venezuela, a political movement that promotes democratic governance and market-oriented reforms, and co-founder of Súmate, a civic organization focused on electoral transparency and citizen participation.
With a background in industrial engineering and finance, as well as experience in the private sector and civil society, Machado has been a consistent advocate for rebuilding Venezuela’s institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and creating the conditions for long-term investment, growth, and prosperity.
