Peace Prize Officials Uncertain About When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony
A scheduled media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are without any clear information regarding her current location.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding 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 receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location is a mystery.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any further information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier stated she would attend the ceremony in person. 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 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 top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Potential Return and Visibility
Machado had earlier 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 last appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published vote counts suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. 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.
