Machado has been fighting Maduro's dictatorship for years, as a symbol of Venezuelan opposition to power. Source: Wikimedia commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), photograph by AlexcoproReflecting on who this year will receive a prestigious award for peace efforts with his actions and his communicative dominated Donald Trump. The president of the United States was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but had to handle the taste. This year, representatives of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presented it to Venezuelan activist Maria Corina Machado, leader of the anti-Madurist opposition in Venezuela.
For more than 25 years, the alleged chavis have ruled Venezuela. The name of their movement comes from the precursor of this doctrine – Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela from 1999 to 2013. Chavism is frequently referred to as a mainstream of Marxism, and the president himself referred to it publically many times, calling his government the socialism of the 21st century. Supporters of this political option in their rhetoric are eager to mention to the father of the founder of Venezuela and the hero of the wars for the independency of Latin American countries, Simon Bolivar. The Chavists see their power in Venezuela as the continuation of Bolivar's fight. It is referred to as the Bolivian Revolution, which is intended to complete liberation from colonial and abroad and interior economical oppression of average people. The current head of state, Nicolas Maduro, a typical of the United Socialist organization of Venezuela, is among the chavists. It is worth mentioning that Maduro is not recognised by the United States, most Latin American countries and respective European countries. The reason for this is that he has exercised dictatorial power since the fake presidential election in 2018. On 10 January this year Maduro was sworn in for his 3rd term.
Country on the brink of disaster
Nicolas Maduro has served as head of state continuously since March 5, 2013. As vice president in the time of once-loved Chavez and his political heir, he was to proceed his opposition policy towards the United States and build socialist prosperity. However, in Venezuela under his rule, there was a crisis, both economical and criminal. Drug cartels are getting stronger, and the president's not responding. "El Tren de Aragua" is 1 of the most dangerous cartels in that area, which is not only not effectively combated by the state authorities, but is actually expanding its field of action. He has already reached Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil and is beginning to endanger even the United States. On October 23, under the pretext of fighting the cartel, Donald Trump sent 2 bombers towards Venezuela. There were besides attacks on boats to be active in drug trafficking. 1 can easy guess that the demonstration of force was expected to inform Nicolas Maduro that his government was not the United States at hand. Venezuela is an additional crucial sphere of influence, and there are oil deposits on its territory, so the chaos there is no benefit to anyone.
As of 2014, Venezuela has been protesting over corruption, expanding inflation and incompetence of the President's administration in combating crime. Since the beginning of Maduro's rule, respective twelve people have died at the hands of the police. Hundreds of demonstrators were arrested and millions of average Venezuelans forced to flee the country. Despite the desire to object to the talks, the agreement was unsuccessful, Maduro continued. Already in 2020, he was accused by the United States of drugs. According to the U.S. government, persons associated with his government are to supply material support to abroad terrorist organisations and cartels specified as “El Tren de Aragua” and the Sinaloa cartel.
The opposition is very clear in the country. Among others, it is worth noting those who held presidential duties in Venezuela – Juan Guaido and Edmundo González Urrutia. During another wave of anti-regime protests in 2019, Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela and was internationally recognized by over 50 countries. After 3 years of office, the opposition deputies of the National Assembly decided to resign Juan Guaidó and dissolve his temporary government. Its successor was Urrutia. This president was besides tamed by Nicolas Maduro. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but on September 8, 2024 he was granted political asylum in Spain. Later, the European Parliament in its resolution recognised Guadio as the legitimate president of Venezuela, and he himself announced a return to the country to take office.
New hope?
Another of the leaders of the Venezuelan opposition is the Nobel Prize-winning Maria Corina Machado. From 2011 to 2014, she was a associate of the General Assembly, or one-person parliament of Venezuela, obtaining the best score in the country. Maduro besides made it hard for her to take on crucial functions in Venezuelan political life. In 2014, she publically condemned the violations of human rights in her homeland at the Standing Council of the Organizations of American States, for which she was stripped of her passive electoral law. She was scheduled to become president of Venezuela a year ago, but the government did not let her to do so. The ultimate Court retained Machado's removal of electoral rights, which so supported the candidacy of Edmund González Urrutia.
Machado is simply a supporter of capitalism and democracy. In her speeches, she repeatedly referred to the "moral strength of capitalism" and "work ethics". At the same time, he openly talks about his support for Donald Trump. After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, she dedicated it to her country and to the president of the United States. She said, "I dedicate this award to the suffering nation of Venezuela and president Trump for his firm support of our cause." According to TVN24, during a telephone conversation with Trump, she said she accepted a prize in his honor due to the fact that he deserved it. Machado besides supports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is known to be prosecuted by the global Criminal Court as a war criminal. It opposes the designation of Gaza business genocide and of specified a negative assessment of the events taking place there.
Warning mark
Dr. Alexander Adamiszyn-Contek from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, specializing in the process of democratisation of Latin American countries, commented for us on the decision to appoint a Venezuelan politician: — The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize Maria Corina Machado was a decision which was meant to emphasize the importance of fighting individuals against authoritative regimes and honor courage in the pursuit of freedom, regulation of law and respect for human rights. Although controversy surrounding this award appears regularly, it is hard to deny that Machado has become a symbol of opposition to injustice and the deficiency of democracy in Venezuela. However, it is worth noting that Machado, the leader of the opposition to the regulation of Nicolás Maduro, was nominated by a group of American Republican politicians, including Senator Marco Rubio and Ambassador to the UN of Michael Waltz. In the same context, Donald Trump's nomination was besides mentioned, to admit his actions for "world peace".
For Venezuelans Machado may be the hope that 1 day Maduro's regulation will overthrow. Although the president has become known as a politician who has unscrupulously fought his opponents, resorting to unclean plays, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to 1 of the opposition faces is simply a clear informing sign and a signal that the planet does not stay indifferent to Venezuela's fate. Machado now has the task of turning the award into a decision that will actually argue Maduro and set an example for another nations that 1 can free himself from a dictatorial embrace and fight for his own freedom.
Nicole KRAKOWSKA
