[alejoar]

Opposing a dictatorship at great personal risk, being exiled, banned from elections, and still leading a democratic movement isn't "nothing".

I think this prize recognizes her courage and fight for human rights.

Dismissing that as "just being in the opposition" ignores the reality of what it takes to stand up to Maduro's dictatorship.

[k3vinw]

That personal risk includes having yourself or loved ones thrown in prison without any contact to the outside world for however long the dictatorship sees fit.

It’s a very sad history of oppression and corruption that has forced many Venezuelans to pull up their roots and risk their lives leaving their own country. It would be a dream come true to see this dictatorship overthrown and replaced by a democratic system of government that serves the people.

[beernet]

Exactly this. This dismissal itself is a large part of the problem. The audacity, wow.

[Al-Khwarizmi]

Not to diminish her valor and heroism. Mad respect. But how is that actually about peace?

A dictatorship can be peaceful, and a democracy can be warlike. Venezuela hasn't been involved in any war recently as far as I know. Of course people who fight for democracy deserve being praised and supported, but to me it looks odd to do so with a peace prize.

The prize is supposed to be awarded to people who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". Is this the case here?

[CaptainOfCoit]

There is something called "democratic peace theory" which argues that democracies are less likely to attack other democracies, compared to other forms.

So I guess you could also claim that democracy helps maintain peace from that point of view, and a person who successfully proved that a "democratic election" really wasn't democratic at all feels like the right thing to award, as it'll further international peace.

edit: the submission article also talks briefly about how peace and democracy is linked (in their eyes):

> Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence. The Venezuelan regime’s rigid hold on power and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair.

[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

>Venezuela hasn't been involved in any war recently, as far as I know.

While the point you're trying to make may or may not be valid, Venezuela is not a good example. Go read up on the Venezuela-Guyana crisis. The Maduro regime has been pushing the region closer to war in recent years. Renewing its claims to Guyanan territory, and preparing its military for war. For now, all out invasion has been prevented partially by significant support for Guyana and pressure against Venezuela from neighbouring countries and the west, and distraction from its own internal problems.

[snowwrestler]

A dictatorship cannot be peaceful. Peace is not merely “the absence of international war.” Peace is rooted in individual rights and freedoms.

If you walk around all day on metaphorical eggshells, surrounded by armed people who will beat you, torture you, disappear you, kill you and your family if you say the wrong thing, that is not a peaceful existence!

[ErneX]

Then I would argue that the current regime is at war with its own population.

[tshaddox]

I mean sure. Winning a war is also sometimes seemingly necessary to achieve peace. And violence is sometimes seemingly necessary to replace a dictatorship with democracy. In this case, it looks like they're awarding her the prize for her efforts to peacefully oppose dictatorship.

> The prize is supposed to be awarded to people who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".

That's the one-liner from Nobel's will. It obviously leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and historically has often been awarded for civil rights advocacy.

[wsintra2022]

Maybe you’d of been satisfied if Dum’old Trump won it?

[catlikesshrimp]

Moreover, she had been doing that for over 20 years. I am surprised by all her determination, her courage, and her luck to still be alive.

[croes]

Then the dictatorship can't be as bad as Russia for instance.The opposition dies pretty quickly there. Or fell out of windows.

[lentil_soup]

come on folks, no need to make everything about the US. The situation and evolution of Venezuela is vastly different. There are a lot of parallels, like with any other authoritarian government, and probably lessons the US opposition can learn, but don't equate the two as it overshadows the struggles Venezuelans have endured for 25+ years. Let them have their moment

[alejoar]

Wow, ok. Comparing leading the Democratic Party in the US to leading a pro democracy movement under an actual dictatorship is a wild take.

It completely banalizes the risks people like Machado face just for opposing authoritarian power.

Pretending there's any equivalence between the two situations says a lot about your worldview, or lack thereof.

[scrollaway]

It’s scary when the reality of the situation settles in, isn’t it?

Scarier when you understand that 20 years is way too long an estimate for this.

Europe is watching.

[weli]

I'm not saying that she isn't a good politician or that what she is doing is not a step in the right direction. I personally like her. All I'm saying is that she hasn't accomplished anything meaningful to merit the Nobel prize.

That's like giving the Nobel in physics to someone that has worked all their life publishing papers but they all have been refuted and proven wrong.

I don't think "prize" for the merit of being relentless in their fight for publishing physics papers is merited, maybe a different honor, but Peace Nobels should be given to - and i quote -:

"to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

[CaptainOfCoit]

> All I'm saying is that she hasn't accomplished anything meaningful to merit the Nobel prize

I know it's frowned upon, but did you actually read the submission article? They're highlighting exactly why they've chosen her, including what meaningful work she has already done:

> The efforts of the collective opposition, both before and during the election, were innovative and brave, peaceful and democratic. The opposition received international support when its leaders publicised the vote counts that had been collected from the country’s election districts, showing that the opposition had won by a clear margin. But the regime refused to accept the election result, and clung to power.

Maybe you have some better suggestions on who this award should have gone to? Of all the candidates, I guess in the end she was seen as having done a lot, but in your mind she've done nothing, which means you're thinking about some other person who did more?

[vasco]

Can you list which of the recent nobel peace prizes were attributed according to your standards?

[bratwurst3000]

if you fight for justice peace and humanity the fight is the thing acomplished.

standing up and risking their lives for the good of humanity merrits more then a nobel price can give!