Peace Prize Officials Uncertain When Nobel Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.
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 granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a plain white wall, her exact location remains a mystery.
"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier confirmed she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Official Position and Legal Threats
Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her family members are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Visibility
Machado had previously told her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.
If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.
