Nobel Organizers Unsure When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony
A scheduled press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was cancelled 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 in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her precise location is unknown.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any further 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 commented that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told 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 "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."
Potential Return and Visibility
Machado had previously 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 appearance before cameras was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published tallies suggesting 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.
