The Cuban regime's Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parilla, launched a scathing criticism against the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize committee, describing it as an "award for U.S. compliant allies."
Rodríguez Parilla expressed his discontent following the global attention received by the Nobel Prize ceremony honoring Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. He took issue with the committee being selected "by a parliament of a NATO member state, based on political party representation," according to a lengthy post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize, according to the Cuban official, has become "a platform against governments deemed inconvenient. It has lost its moral standing and turned into a tool of soft power," he stated.
Rodríguez also lamented that despite the regime's lobbying efforts for the "Cuban Medical Brigades," the Nobel committee has not considered them.
"Their complicity with war, violence, death, and destruction will be remembered by the awards given to Henry Kissinger, Shimon Peres, or the latest one pushed by the U.S. Secretary of State, who fervently calls for a military invasion of Venezuela. What would Alfred Nobel say?" he added.
Furthermore, he accused the Nobel committee of remaining silent "on the aggressive actions of the U.S. against Venezuela and ignoring the economic war and hate campaign against a country that sends doctors, not bombs or marines."
"This double standard disqualifies their lessons on democracy," he concluded.
María Corina's Nobel Recognition
This week, María Corina Machado traveled to Oslo to receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, a moment marked by significant international attention and symbolic weight.
In Oslo, she drew a direct parallel between Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, countries she acknowledged Venezuelans had always viewed as warnings but whose experiences were overlooked. "We used to say Cuba is Cuba, and Venezuela is not Cuba. Look at where we are now," she remarked in an interview with RCN Television.
The Venezuelan opposition leader admitted that her country made a grave mistake by underestimating the influence and threat of the Cuban regime in the region.
"We underestimated the threat posed by the Cuban regime and what losing freedom would mean," she reflected, considering the 27 years of Chavismo that have plunged Venezuela into one of its deepest crises.
María Corina was warmly welcomed last Thursday in Oslo with cheers, applause, supportive slogans, and embraces from people who admire her resolve.
The president of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, confirmed that the opposition leader arrived in the Norwegian capital and immediately reunited with her family after months of persecution and living in hiding in Venezuela.
Before her arrival, her daughter Ana Corina Sosa accepted the award and delivered a speech in which the leader expressed gratitude for international support and affirmed that "Venezuela will breathe again."
Her journey to Norway was a complex one, involving a secretive maritime trip to Curaçao before flying to Europe, undertaken covertly due to the risk of arrest by Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Insights into the Nobel Peace Prize Controversy
Why did Bruno Rodríguez criticize the Nobel Peace Prize committee?
Bruno Rodríguez criticized the committee for being selected by a parliament of a NATO member state and accused it of being a tool of U.S. soft power, awarding allies compliant with U.S. interests.
What were María Corina Machado's views on the influence of the Cuban regime?
María Corina Machado expressed that Venezuela underestimated the threat posed by the Cuban regime, which contributed significantly to the country's current crisis and loss of freedom.
How was María Corina Machado's reception in Oslo for the Nobel ceremony?
She was greeted with a warm reception, including cheers, applause, and supportive messages, reflecting the admiration for her determination and leadership.