(MENAFN) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday commended Maria Corina Machado for receiving the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

In an official statement, Guterres expressed, "I congratulate Maria Corina Machado on being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize," emphasizing that "for decades, Ms. Machado has been a champion of democracy and a voice of unity in her country of Venezuela."

Referring to the declaration by the Nobel Committee, Guterres highlighted the significance of democratic values in maintaining peace.

He reiterated their words, stating, "the tools of democracy are the tools of peace." Guterres also remarked that, during a period when democratic institutions and the rule of law face increasing challenges across the globe, the prize serves as a tribute to those who strive to protect civil and political liberties. He called it "a stirring reminder of the resilience and power of the democratic spirit."

The Norwegian Nobel Committee named Machado as this year’s laureate on Friday.

This announcement came in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s recent public campaign advocating for himself as a deserving candidate for the prize.

In the previous year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots coalition of Japanese survivors of atomic bombings.

Since its inception in 1901 through 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize has been bestowed 105 times to a total of 142 laureates—111 individuals and 31 groups.

Of those, 28 different organizations have been honored, with the International Committee of the Red Cross receiving the award three times and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) being recognized twice.

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