Peace Prize Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Ceremony
A scheduled press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark 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 assert the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect 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 remains unknown.
"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously confirmed she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Government Stance and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."
Potential Return and Public Appearance
Machado had previously told her followers that she planned to go back to Venezuela after receiving the prize.
If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in 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 recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.
