Nobel Officials Unsure About When Peace Prize Winner Is to Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.
Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been out of public view since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was stolen.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring 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 plain white wall, her precise 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 are unable to at this point provide any further 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.
Government Stance and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's government have stated 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, informed 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 "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."
Potential Return and Visibility
Machado had previously informed 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 last public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published tallies suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.
