Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain About When Nobel Winner Is to Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.
Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her precise location remains unknown.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. 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 government have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."
Potential Return and Visibility
Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she planned to go back to Venezuela after receiving the prize.
If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her initial return to the public eye 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 published vote counts suggesting 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 running in that election.