Peace Prize Organizers Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Will Arrive for Ceremony
A planned media briefing by Peace Prize winner MarĂa Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.
Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was stolen.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her exact location is unknown.
"MarĂa Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot 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 earlier stated she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Government Stance and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Public Appearance
Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she intended to return to Venezuela after collecting the prize.
If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.
