{"id":11972,"date":"2025-10-16T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T22:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?p=11972"},"modified":"2025-10-20T20:36:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:36:16","slug":"when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/","title":{"rendered":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/tag\/yan-islam\">IYANATUL ISLAM<\/a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2006, and currently Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh Interim Government, decided to shower fulsome praise on a Venezuelan politician, Ms Maria Corina Machado. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025. Bangladesh\u2019s leading English language daily, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedailystar.net\/news\/bangladesh\/news\/one-nobel-peace-laureate-another-yunus-congratulates-machado-4006691\">Daily Star,<\/a> summarised the congratulatory message that Yunus sent to Machado in the following manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;I extend my hearty congratulations to Mar\u00eda Corina Machado on receiving the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous fight for democracy in her beloved Venezuela,&#8221; he said in a congratulatory message.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Machado has faced oppression with steadfast resolve, never wavering in her commitment to a freer and more just future for her country and her people, the message read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the Nobel Committee rightly stated: &#8220;Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended\u2014with words, with courage, and with determination.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She has dared to imagine a better world and worked tirelessly to make it so, the message added.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is, unfortunately, a contentious and even dark side to Machado, the apparently fearless fighter for democracy in Venezuela. She happens to be a pro-Zionist, pro-Trump, far-right politician who is happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with notorious Islamophobic racists, such as Marie le Pen of France and Geertz Wilders of the Netherlands. This prompted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cair.com\/press_releases\/breaking-cair-calls-on-nobel-peace-prize-winner-maria-machado-to-renounce-her-support-for-european-fascism-likud-party-and-anti-muslim-bigotry\/\">CAIR<\/a>\u2014a leading Muslim organisation\u2014 to issue the following proclamation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe strongly disagree with the Nobel Prize committee\u2019s decision to award this year\u2019s peace prize to Maria Corina Machado, a supporter of Israel\u2019s racist Likud Party who earlier this year delivered remarks at a conference of European fascists, including Geert Wilders and Marie Le Pen, which&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newarab.com\/opinion\/reconquista-christian-far-right-joins-zionism-neo-crusade\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">openly called for a new Reconquista<\/a>, referencing the ethnic cleansing of Spanish Muslims and Jews in&nbsp;the 1500s.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In her own region of Latin America, the reaction to her winning the award was mixed. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aa.com.tr\/en\/americas\/latin-america-divided-over-venezuelan-opposition-leaders-nobel-peace-prize\/3714262\">AA<\/a> reports:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThe Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado on Friday drew mixed reactions in Latin America, with some leaders offering praise, strong condemnation by others, with Mexico choosing to remain silent.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;The announcement of the award had some pointing to her past rhetoric and actions, which were characterised as violent or supportive of foreign intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Machado\u2019s Trumpian loyalty became evident when she dedicated her award to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/world\/venezuelan-opposition-leader-dedicates-nobel-prize-to-trump-for-decisive-support\/ar-AA1OdSHy?ocid=BingNewsSerp\">\u201cthe suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.\u201d<\/a> At a time when there was feverish speculation and intense lobbying for Trump to get the 2025 Nobel Prize for his ostensible role as global peace maker, Machado \u2013 the seemingly surprise winner of 2025 \u2013 made sure that Trump noted her subservience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Making sense of what Yunus did<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the controversy surrounding Machado, why did Yunus decide to issue such fulsome praise for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several plausible explanations, none of which absolve the need for deeper scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Yunus may have responded to the Nobel Committee\u2019s framing of Machado as a champion of democracy, without delving into her broader political affiliations. His message echoed the Committee\u2019s language almost verbatim, suggesting a reactive rather than investigative approach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As a Nobel laureate himself, Yunus might feel a sense of obligation to publicly acknowledge fellow recipients, especially when their award is framed around a democratic struggle. This could be part of a broader ethos of solidarity among laureates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The most troubling possibility is that Yunus and his advisers failed to vet Machado\u2019s political history and affiliations. In an age of rapid information exchange, such oversight is not just na\u00efve\u2014it\u2019s politically hazardous.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The broader implications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Advisers of Yunus should have flagged Machado\u2019s controversial ties to far-right figures and her pro-Trump, pro-Likud stances\u2014especially given the sensitivities around Islamophobia and global Muslim solidarity. With widespread condemnation of anti-Muslim rhetoric and heightened awareness of global injustices (like the situation in Gaza), praising a figure aligned with Islamophobic voices appears tone-deaf. Mexico\u2019s silence, in response to the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Machado, was a strategic choice. Yunus could have followed suit, avoiding unnecessary entanglement in a polarising debate. For many in the Muslim world, Yunus\u2019s praise may feel like a betrayal\u2014especially when Machado\u2019s affiliations contradict the values of pluralism and justice that Yunus himself has long championed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This episode risks tarnishing Yunus\u2019s legacy as a global humanitarian. It also raises concerns about the credibility of the interim government he advises. Yunus\u2019s misstep is not just personal\u2014it\u2019s emblematic of a broader challenge facing global leaders: how to navigate complex political landscapes without compromising ethical clarity. Silence, in some cases, is not cowardice\u2014it\u2019s wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"author label\"><strong>AUTHOR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Iyanatul (Yan) Islam\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><em>is an Adjunct Professor at the\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.griffith.edu.au\/asia-institute\"><em>Griffith Asia Institute<\/em><\/a><em>, a Distinguished Fellow at the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), Dhaka and a former Branch Chief, ILO, Geneva. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The views expressed here are strictly personal.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025? Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2006, and currently Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh Interim Government, decided to shower fulsome praise on a Venezuelan politician, Ms Maria Corina Machado. She<a href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":11973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1170,2064,246,1731],"tags":[785,1139,2536,843,2537,1117,1320,2535],"class_list":["post-11972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-governance-and-diplomacy","category-india-and-south-asia","category-sdg16","tag-bangladesh","tag-iyantul-islam","tag-machado","tag-nobel-peace-prize","tag-peace","tag-politics","tag-yan-islam","tag-yunus"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Jill Moriarty","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Griffith Asia Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Yunus-Machado-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@GAIGriffith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Griffith Asia Institute\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\"},\"headline\":\"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\"},\"wordCount\":875,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"Bangladesh\",\"Iyantul Islam\",\"Machado\",\"Nobel Peace Prize\",\"Peace\",\"politics\",\"Yan Islam\",\"Yunus\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Commentary\",\"Governance and diplomacy\",\"Region | India and South Asia\",\"SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\",\"name\":\"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Insights\",\"description\":\"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1\",\"width\":2930,\"height\":308,\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GAIGriffith\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a\",\"name\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Griffith Asia Institute\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/author\/gaigriffith-edu-au\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights","description":"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights","og_description":"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.","og_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/","og_site_name":"Griffith Asia Insights","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","article_published_time":"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":500,"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Yunus-Machado-2.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Griffith Asia Institute","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_site":"@GAIGriffith","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Griffith Asia Institute","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/"},"author":{"name":"Griffith Asia Institute","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a"},"headline":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado","datePublished":"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/"},"wordCount":875,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"keywords":["Bangladesh","Iyantul Islam","Machado","Nobel Peace Prize","Peace","politics","Yan Islam","Yunus"],"articleSection":["Commentary","Governance and diplomacy","Region | India and South Asia","SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions"],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/","name":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado | Griffith Asia Insights","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-10-15T22:30:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-20T10:36:16+00:00","description":"IYANATUL ISLAM&nbsp; |&nbsp; Why did Yunus, a global icon from Bangladesh, embrace the controversial Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for What happens when two Nobel Peace Prize laureates \u2014 one from Bangladesh, one from Venezuela \u2014 find themselves on opposite sides of global opinion? In this thought-provoking analysis, Yan Islam examines why Dr Muhammad Yunus, a global icon and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh\u2019s interim government, chose to praise the controversial 2025 Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/when-peace-meets-politics-why-yunus-backed-machado\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"When peace meets politics: Why Yunus backed Machado"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","name":"Griffith Asia Insights","description":"Asia Insights is published by the Griffith Asia Institute. It offers latest commentary on Asia-Pacific affairs and aims to inform and foster academic scholarship, public awareness and considered and responsive policy making.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#organization","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/GU_Griffith-Asia-Institute_rgb_red_horizontal.png?fit=2930%2C308&ssl=1","width":2930,"height":308,"caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/griffithasiainstitute\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/GAIGriffith"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/8121b8aa336749474cbaca380c03029a","name":"Griffith Asia Institute","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f133de65681da3b20ddbc1917f066f458d355d7dfa1f214b10ff4bd135d5ab6c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Griffith Asia Institute"},"url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/author\/gaigriffith-edu-au\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Yunus-Machado-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"featured_image_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Yunus-Machado-2.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11972"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11972\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/asiainsights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}