Peace Prize Organizers Unsure About When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony
A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, 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 out of public view since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was stolen.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to establish 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 unknown.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point offer any additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier confirmed she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.
Government Stance and Legal Threats
Venezuela's government have stated 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 "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Visibility
Machado had earlier told her supporters 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 inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.