A coalition of western Muslim organizations today sent a letter to the Nobel Prize Committee calling on it to rescind its decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado due to her ongoing support for her support for anti-Muslim fascism in Europe, her alliance with Israel’s openly racist Likud Party, and war as a method of achieving political change in her own nation.
SEE:Letter to Nobel Prize Committee
In the letter, signatories said that the Nobel Prize committee’s decision to recognize Machado despite her support for racist, anti-Muslim and fascist movements was “insulting” to the many potential honorees around the world who advocate justice for all people, including the journalists, activists, and politicians who have taken great risks to peacefully oppose injustice against all people.
The letter sent to the Nobel Prize Committee was signed by nine of the largest Muslim civic organizations in the western world. Based in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the signatories are the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN), Canadians United Against Hate, the Collective Against Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), the Islamophobia Studies Center, the Muslim Council of Britain, the The March 15th Forum – Combating Islamophobia and the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO).
In a statement, the signatories said:
“The Nobel Peace Prize should go to individuals who have shown moral consistency by bravely advocating justice for all people, not to politicians who claim to support democracy in their own nation while supporting war, racism, bigotry and fascism.
“If Ms. Machado continues refusing to renounce her support for the Likud Party, anti-Muslim fascism in Europe and war as a tool to effect political change in Venezuela, the Nobel Prize committee should rescind the award. An anti-Muslim bigot and supporter of European fascism would have no place being mentioned alongside the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other worthy winners of the Nobel Peace Prize.”
“The Nobel Peace Prize committee should instead recognize an honoree who has shown moral consistency, such as one of the students, journalists, activists, medical professionals who have risked their careers and even their lives to oppose injustice in hot spots around the world.”
In February, Machado delivered virtual remarks at the far-right Patriots of Europe conference in Madrid, where speakers included anti-Muslim extremists Geert Wilders, Marie Le Pen and Viktor Orban.
SEE: Orban, Le Pen hail Trump at far-right ‘Patriots’ summit in Madrid
Reuters reported in February, “All the speakers railed against immigration and most called for a new “Reconquista,” a reference to the Medieval re-conquest of Muslim-controlled parts of the Iberian Peninsula by Christian kingdoms. Earlier, former Estonian Finance Minister Martin Helme kicked off the rally following a video message by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.”
Machado has been a stronger supporter of the Israeli government, specifically the far-right, anti-Muslim and racist Likud Party led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Machado personally signed off on formal “alliance” between her Venezuelan political party and the Likud Party in 2020. She has also declared, “The struggle of Venezuela is the struggle of Israel.”
SEE: Signed Vente Venezuela-Likud Party Agreement
SEE: Machado Declares Struggle of Venezuela is Struggle of Israel
Machado has also said that she would move Venezuela’s Embassy to Israel to Jerusalem in recognition of its illegal occupation of the entire city.
SEE: Machado on Israel-Venezuela Relations
FULL LETTER TO NOBEL PRIZE COMMITTEE
Dear Members of the Nobel Prize Committee,
The undersigned civil and human rights organizations write to express our deep concern regarding the decision to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado.
We support the Nobel Prize Committee’s past efforts to honor those who have peacefully, bravely and consistently advocated for causes of justice, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and South African President Nelson Mandela. However, the decision to nominate Ms. Machado contradicts the values upon which the Nobel Peace Prize was founded.
The facts are clear. Ms. Machado openly supports political movements and parties that promote war, genocide, bigotry, xenophobia, and fascism. She has even called for foreign nations to attack her own nation, purportedly to establish democracy.
Earlier this year, Ms. Machado delivered a virtual speech at the Patriots of Europe, a far-right conference for fascist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant extremists. Other keynote speakers included anti-Muslim extremists Geert Wilders, Marie Le Pen, Viktor Orban.
According to Reuters: “All the speakers railed against immigration and most called for a new “Reconquista”, a reference to the Medieval re-conquest of Muslim-controlled parts of the Iberian Peninsula by Christian kingdoms. Earlier, former Estonian Finance Minister Martin Helme kicked off the rally following a video message by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.”
Ms. Machado’s political party, Vente Venezuela, established a formal alliance with the Likud Party in 2020 that remains in force to this day. Ms. Machado personally signed the agreement establishing the partnership.
The Likud Party is a far-right, openly racist and genocidal political party that has spent decades violently thwarting efforts to establish a Palestinian state and whose leader Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Ms. Machado has declared that “struggle of Venezuela is the struggle of Israel,” pledged to move the Venezuelan Embassy to Jerusalem despite Israel’s illegal occupation of the entire city, and even reportedly sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu calling on him to support a military “regime change” in Venezuela.
The Nobel Peace Prize should go to a person who has shown moral consistency by peacefully pursuing justice for all people, not to a politician who claims to support democracy in her own nation while supporting war, fascism, xenophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry.
The Nobel Prize Committee’s decision to award Ms. Machado has undermined the committee’s storied reputation. Moving forward with the award despite Ms. Machado’s stances would cause further, irreparable damage. We therefore urge the Nobel Prize Committee to call upon Ms. Machado to publicly:
- renounce her support for, and her party’s alliance with, Israel’s Likud Party,
- apologize for her participation in the fascist, bigoted Patriots of Europe conference, and
- retract her support for war as an appropriate tool to advance democracy or otherwise address Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis.
If Ms. Machado refuses to take these steps, the Nobel Committee should rescind her award and choose a new honoree who has shown both courage and consistency, such as one of the many activists, journalists, medical professionals or human rights leaders who have taken considerable risk to confront injustice around the world.
Thank you for your consideration of this urgent matter.
SIGNATORIES
Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN)
Canadians United Against Hate
Collective Against Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE)
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO)
Islamophobia Studies Center
Muslim Council of Britain
The March 15th Forum – Combating Islamophobia
US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com