Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA) welcomes with hope and determination the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado. We consider this recognition a significant validation of the long and courageous struggle that Machado and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan civilians have led in the face of authoritarianism and systematic repression.
As a grassroots, nonpartisan, immigrant-led organization, VIA remains committed to telling the truth about Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis. For over 25 years, a regime has ruled through fear, control, and violence. It has forced more than nine million Venezuelans to flee their homeland, left 25 million more in hunger, fear, and silence, jailed thousands, many of whom were tortured or disappeared, armed civilians to turn neighbors against each other, systematically silenced dissent, corrupted institutions, and dismantled civil society, and now faces two investigations at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
This crisis is not theoretical; it is real and ongoing. We work every day with those who have fled their homes. We hear the stories of families separated, lives uprooted, and futures placed on hold. The Nobel Prize awarded to María Corina Machado highlights a broader movement of peaceful, civic resistance that persists despite relentless attacks on freedom. It honors every Venezuelan who has stood up, spoken out, or refused to surrender their dignity. As we stated in our recent public release: “The international community and countries that claim to be democratic must act against a regime that cannot remain in power any longer.”
At VIA, we will not remain silent. We will continue to raise awareness among international allies and democratic institutions, amplify the voices of displaced Venezuelans, document abuses that would otherwise be erased, and advocate for a future built on truth, justice, freedom, and human
Dignity. This recognition is a step forward. But much more is needed. We invite all those who believe in human rights and democracy to stand with us.