Nobel panel praises Machado for being a 'unifying figure'

Daughter of a steel magnate, she began challenging the ruling party in 2004

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María Corina Machado has long been the face of resistance to Venezuela's 26-year ruling party. Now, she may become a symbol of peace, too.

Machado, the Venezuelan opposition powerhouse who prompted millions of Venezuelans to reject President Nicolás Maduro in last year's election, on Friday was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work “to achieve a just and peaceful transition” of power in the South American country. The award also recognised the seasoned politician for being a “unifying figure” in the fractured opposition.

Leadership questioned