A recent extension of the research into the awarding of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has confirmed a network of institutional and financial connections in Norway that ties the selection process to platforms actively promoting the Venezuelan opposition. This structure comprises four key nodes or main actors, with their relationships substantiated by awards, funding, and institutional partnerships.
At the heart of the network is the Fritt Ord Foundation, a private Norwegian entity that serves as the primary financial link. This foundation awarded its honorary prize to Kristin Clemet in 2017 and Jørgen Watne Frydnes in 2021, both members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee that awarded María Corina Machado the prize in 2025. Additionally, Fritt Ord is listed as an official donor of the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF), a platform created by Venezuelan-Norwegian activist Thor Halvorssen Mendoza.
Halvorssen acts as the international connector of the network. Through the OFF, which he founded and leads, a global stage has been provided to opposition figures like Leopoldo López—Halvorssen’s cousin—and María Corina Machado herself. This platform has hosted debates, conferences, and recognitions that promote the Venezuelan opposition narrative to international audiences.
The final links in this chain are Clemet and Frydnes, the influencers within the Nobel Committee. Besides their roles on the committee, Clemet leads the Civita think tank, which is an official partner of the OFF. Frydnes, who is the president of the Nobel Committee, also belongs to the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, another partner organization of Halvorssen’s forum.
Available documentation illustrates how these institutional connections, bolstered by Fritt Ord funding, create a circuit that connects Nobel decision-makers with the platform that has served as the principal international amplifier of María Corina Machado’s candidacy.
The investigation reveals that these connections are not isolated but rather form a documented interaction circuit linking those responsible for the prize selection with one of its awardees.
· Funding as a common link: The Fritt Ord Foundation functions as a central financial nexus. Its recognition of Clemet and Frydnes directly connects them to the same funding source that, in turn, finances the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF), launched by Thor Halvorssen.
· The dissemination platform: The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF), founded and led by Thor Halvorssen, has provided a high-profile platform for opposition figures like Leopoldo López and María Corina Machado. Halvorssen’s familial connection to López creates direct personal and operational links to the opposition cause.
· Internal operators in the Nobel Committee: Both Kristin Clemet and Jørgen Watne Frydnes were honored by Fritt Ord prior to their appointments in the Nobel Committee. Clemet, through her Civita think tank, is an official partner of the OFF, creating a direct institutional link to Halvorssen’s platform. Frydnes shares the connection with Fritt Ord and, like Clemet, is also part of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, another partnership of the OFF.
📜 Conclusion
The documentation illustrates the existence of a structured network in Norway. This network connects, through institutional, financial, and personal ties, the decision-makers of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize with the platform that has acted as the main amplifier of María Corina Machado’s candidacy on a global scale.