Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event
A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner MarĂa Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute 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 disputed 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 anticipated to receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her exact location is a mystery.
"MarĂa Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point offer any further information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier 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.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her relatives are already in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Visibility
Machado had previously informed her supporters that she intended to return to Venezuela after collecting the prize.
If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.
