Nobel Organizers Unsure About When Peace Prize Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony
A planned media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was stolen.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a plain white wall, her precise location is unknown.
"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any further information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously confirmed 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.
Government Stance and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her family members are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."
Potential Return and Visibility
Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she planned 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 most recent public appearance was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released vote counts indicating 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 banned from running in that election.
