(MENAFN) The Norwegian Nobel Committee revealed on Friday that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 has been presented to Maria Corina Machado, a leading figure in Venezuela's opposition movement.

Machado, aged 58, received the distinction "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela."

Despite US President Donald Trump openly promoting himself as a potential honoree, the committee selected Machado for her persistent advocacy in defending civil liberties and democratic values within her country.

This year’s prize saw 338 contenders in total, composed of 244 nominated individuals and 94 nominated organizations, reflecting a wide pool of global candidates.

The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was previously granted to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization made up of Japanese survivors of atomic bombings.

The group was honored “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.”

Since its inception in 1901 until 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize has been conferred 105 times, recognizing 142 recipients in total. Among these laureates, 111 were individuals while 31 were organizations.

Altogether, 28 unique organizations have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Notably, the International Committee of the Red Cross has earned the award three times, and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been recognized twice for its humanitarian efforts.

The Nobel Prizes, originally founded based on the final testament of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel and first granted in 1901, continue to be acknowledged as some of the globe’s most esteemed accolades.

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