Why in News?

Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights and a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela.

• Known as "Iron Lady of Venezuela" for her stand against authoritarianism
• Founded Atenea Foundation (1992) & co-founded Súmate ( for election monitoring)
  • Advocated “ballots over bullets” for peaceful civic action
• Nobel Peace Prize: Awarded since 1901; focus– from peace movement pioneers to arms control, democracy, human rights, and now climate and environmental issues.
• Indian Laureates: Mother Teresa (1979); Kailash Satyarthi (2014) – shared with Malala Yousafzai