A complaint has been filed in Sweden against the Nobel Foundation, alleging that the organization has broken Swedish law by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is behind the complaint, which claims that the foundation has committed serious crimes, including gross misappropriation of funds and facilitation of war crimes.
The complaint asserts that Machado’s past actions and comments, including her praise for US military aggression against Venezuela, make her ineligible to receive the award. The buildup of US military forces off the coast of Venezuela, which has resulted in the death of at least 95 people, is cited as evidence of the harm caused by Machado’s actions.
Assange argues that the Nobel Foundation has converted “an instrument of peace into an instrument of war” and that the award to Machado is a violation of Alfred Nobel’s will, which states that the prize should be awarded to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations.” The complaint also alleges that the foundation’s actions may be in violation of Sweden’s obligations under the Rome Statute, which prohibits aiding or abetting war crimes.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been criticized in the past for being awarded to individuals with questionable track records on peace and human rights. Previous winners, such as Teddy Roosevelt, Barack Obama, and Henry Kissinger, have been involved in military conflicts or have been accused of human rights abuses.
The complaint highlights the concerns surrounding the Nobel Committee’s selection process and the potential for the prize to be used as a tool for promoting geopolitical agendas. The case raises questions about the degree to which the committee judges its recipients on their compliance with Western geopolitical interests and whether the prize is being used to legitimize aggressive actions.
The allegations against the Nobel Foundation and Machado are serious and warrant further investigation. The complaint serves as a reminder of the need for transparency and accountability in the awarding of prestigious prizes like the Nobel Peace Prize. As the international community watches, it remains to be seen how the Nobel Committee will respond to these allegations and whether they will take steps to ensure that the prize is awarded in accordance with the principles of peace and human rights.