Nobel Officials Uncertain When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event
A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate 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 current location.
Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been in hiding since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was granted 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 neutral white wall, her precise location remains unknown.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any further information about the timing or manner in which she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked 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 "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Public Appearance
Machado had previously told her followers that she intended to return 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 last appearance before cameras was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released vote counts suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.
