Nobel Officials Uncertain When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony
A planned media briefing by Peace Prize winner 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 out of public view since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies assert the vote was stolen.
She was granted 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 plain white wall, her exact location is a mystery.
"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about the timing or manner in which 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 remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" 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 stated she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Public Appearance
Machado had earlier told her followers that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting 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 protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released tallies suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.
