Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event
A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.
Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been in hiding since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting video updates on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her precise location remains a mystery.
"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point offer any further information about the timing or manner in which she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously confirmed she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Government Stance and Legal Threats
Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the government. Her family members are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Potential Return and Public Appearance
Machado had previously informed her followers that she planned to go back to Venezuela after receiving the prize.
If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published tallies indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.
