The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader. She was unable to arrive at the ceremony due to the dangerous conditions of her journey. According to the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Machado is safe and en route to Oslo, resulting in her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepting the prize on her behalf. The 33-year-old woman read her mother's speech and captured the world's attention with her passion and emotion when discussing the Venezuelan crisis.
Ana Corina Sosa Machado attended the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in a gray pantsuit with gold buttons. As she stepped onto the stage, she delivered a few words in honor of her mother.
“I am here on behalf of my mother, María Corina Machado, who has united millions of Venezuelans in an extraordinary effort that you, our hosts, have honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. Although she has not been able to be present and participate in this ceremony, I must say that my mother never breaks a promise, and that is why, with all the joy in my heart, I can assure you that in a few hours we will be able to embrace her here in Oslo, after 16 months living in hiding," she said.
Ana Corina was born in Caracas in 1991 and is the eldest of the three children shared between Machado and Ricardo Sosa Branger. The couple married in 1990 and separated in 2001, after spending 11 years together. Their kids include Ricardo, 32, and Henrique, 30. At the ceremony, Ana Corina stepped in as her mother’s representative, a duty she has fulfilled on various occasions.
Ana Corina's life and work in New York
She's lived in New York since 2012, after leaving Venezuela due to the constant threats against her mother's life and her family. Her brothers live in Colombia and the United States.
Ana Corina previously accepted various awards and recognitions on behalf of her mother, including the 2024 Sakharov Prize, the 2025 Heroes of Democracy Award, and the 2025 Gold Medal from the Americas Society. She's currently an employee of Celonis, a German data processing company with headquarters in New York.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Ana Corina serves as the company's Chief of Staff. In the past, she's worked in companies and organizations like Picus Capital, Minu, PwC, and the University of Michigan.
Ana Corina studied engineering at the Simón Bolívar University in Caracas and graduated from the University of Michigan with an Industrial and Operations Engineering degree. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is fluent in English and French.