Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate MarĂa 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 whereabouts.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies assert the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her precise location is a mystery.
"MarĂa Corina Machado has herself stated 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 additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier stated she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Government Stance 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 already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Public Appearance
Machado had previously informed her followers that she planned to return to Venezuela after collecting 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 protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released vote counts suggesting they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.
