Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee 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 assert the vote was stolen.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.
Despite regularly 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 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 further information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously stated she would attend the ceremony in person. 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 authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Visibility
Machado had earlier told her followers that she planned to return 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 most recent appearance before cameras 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 groups published vote counts indicating they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, such as the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.
