Who is María Corina Machado Parisca; Nobel Peace Prize 2025

Born in Caracas in 1967, María Corina Machado Parisca is an industrial engineer who became one of Venezuela’s most prominent and enduring political figures. She is the National Coordinator of the liberal political party Vente Venezuela and a former Member of the National Assembly.

Personal Details and Background

• Full Name: María Corina Machado Parisca.
• Birth: Born on October 7, 1967, in Caracas, Venezuela.
• Parents:
  • Father: Henrique Machado Zuloaga, a steel businessman.
  • Mother: Corina Parisca, a psychologist.
  • She is the eldest of four daughters.
• Family: She has three children. She was married to Ricardo Sosa from 1990 to 2001.
• Education:
  • Holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Andrés Bello Catholic University.
  • Holds a specialization (Master’s degree) in Finance from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Administración (IESA) in Caracas.
  • She was part of the Yale University’s World Fellows Program in 2009.

María Corina Machado has a multifaceted professional background spanning engineering, finance, and, most prominently, politics and human rights advocacy.

Her main occupations are:

1. Politician/Opposition Leader: This is her current and most recognized occupation. She is the National Coordinator of the political party Vente Venezuela and the leading figure of the democratic opposition movement in the country.
2. Industrial Engineer: This is her formal academic training and initial professional career. She holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and a master’s degree in Finance. She worked in the auto industry early in her career.
3. Human Rights Advocate/Civil Society Leader: She is a tireless advocate for human rights and democracy. Her career in public life began as the co-founder of the civil society organization Súmate, which focused on promoting electoral transparency and citizens’ rights.
4. Former Legislator: She served as an elected Member of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2011 to 2014.

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Notable Recognition Before the Nobel Prize

• Sakharov Prize (2024)
• Václav Havel Human Rights Prize (2024)
• BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women (2018)
• Liberal International Freedom Prize (2019)

Her entry into the public eye came in 2002 as the founder of Súmate, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting free elections, electoral transparency, and monitoring the vote. Machado’s path has been one of uncompromising resistance, where she chose the path of “ballots over bullets,” advocating for peaceful, democratic change even in the face of extreme personal risk.