A resolution recognizing Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado and reaffirming support for democracy in Venezuela.

## Summary This Senate resolution honors Maria Corina Machado, a leading Venezuelan opposition figure awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her nonviolent advocacy for democracy in Venezuela. It condemns the illegitimate 2018 presidential election under Nicolás Maduro and the regime’s subsequent repression, including economic collapse, mass emigration, and persecution of critics. The resolution highlights the 2023 opposition primary election, which Machado won, and Maduro’s refusal to let her run in the 2024 presidential vote, forcing her ally Edmundo Gonzalez to take her place. Despite Gonzalez winning a documented two-thirds majority in the 2024 election, the Maduro government rejected the results, detained opposition members, and blocked Gonzalez from assuming office. The resolution calls for Machado’s safety, the release of political prisoners, recognition of the 2024 election outcome, and U.S. support for Venezuela’s democratic future. ## Key Points - Commends Maria Corina Machado for her peaceful, persistent advocacy to restore democracy in Venezuela despite government repression. - Congratulates Machado on receiving the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing her as a global symbol of democratic resistance. - Demands the Maduro regime protect Machado’s safety and free her colleagues and other political prisoners detained for opposing the government. - Recognizes Edmundo Gonzalez as the legitimate winner of the July 2024 presidential election, based on independent observer documentation. - Affirms U.S. support for the Venezuelan people’s right to freely elect their leaders and reverse the country’s decline. ## Impact Areas - Maria Corina Machado and Venezuelan opposition leaders: Directly advocates for their safety and political rights. - Venezuelan people: Supports their aspirations for democratic governance and relief from economic/political crisis. - U.S. foreign policy credibility: Reinforces American commitment to global democracy promotion and accountability for authoritarian regimes. *Technical terms explained*: - Nobel Peace Prize: A prestigious international award given to individuals or groups who promote peace, often amplifying their cause globally. - Political prisoners: People jailed primarily for their political beliefs or activism, often without fair legal process. - Opposition parties: Groups challenging the ruling government’s policies, seeking to offer alternative leadership.