Nobel Officials Uncertain When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are without any clear information regarding her whereabouts.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was stolen.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to establish democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting recorded messages 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 challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide 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 physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the government. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."
Potential Return and Public Appearance
Machado had earlier told her supporters that she intended to return to Venezuela after receiving 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 demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts indicating they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.
