I didn’t just write this because I could. Anyone can copy and paste when the right words start circulating. I wrote this because we our WhatsApp threads, our wise friends, our small communities of curious minds are the voices of disruption and clarification. A colleague I deeply respect sent me the Democracy Now headline and asked, “What do you think?” That question turned into this reflection.
Sometimes we share too quickly I did. I’d already posted my hoorah for María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize. In that first flush of excitement, anyone-not-the-usual might have felt worthy of applause. Then the comments arrived; friends offered perspective. I remembered why pausing matters. We, the people, bring illumination and context.
When the world applauds, I often hold my breath. There’s a weight between celebration and hesitation. The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize announcement that Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado had won was one of those moments.
My first instinct was joy. I wanted to believe this was a step toward healing, that courage and sacrifice were finally being seen. But then came the unease. The tone of the coverage, the political context, and the alliances hinted that this might not be only about peace it might also be about positioning.
