Yesterday, 10 October 2025, the Nobel Committee announced that it had awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado, the Venezualan opposition leader. Machado had been forced into hiding following Venezuela’s presidential election in January 2025, when authorities loyal to Nicolas Maduro, the country’s autocratic leader, declared, despite all evidence to the contrary, that Maduro had won a third term in office.
In their anouncement, the Committee said:
In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions.
They went on to say:
When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.
So, the mad, orange, man baby currently waging war against the US Constitution, and his own citizens, didn’t get his way. And the Nobel Committee managed to poke him with a stick whilst making its award.
But also yesterday, John Lodge died. So it wasn’t all good.