Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain About When Peace Prize Winner Will Arrive for Award Event
A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María 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, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies assert the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect 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 unknown.
"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 cannot at this point offer any additional information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier confirmed she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Official Position and Legal Threats
Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the government. Her relatives are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Public Appearance
Machado had previously informed her supporters that she intended to return to Venezuela after receiving the prize.
If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her initial return to the public eye since January 2025. Her most recent 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 published tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.
