Peace Prize Organizers Unsure When Nobel Winner Is to Arrive for Ceremony
A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate MarĂa Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are without any clear information regarding her whereabouts.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was stolen.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location is a mystery.
"MarĂa Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."
Potential Return and Public Appearance
Machado had earlier told her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.
If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a protest 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 been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.
