Nobel Officials Unsure When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony
A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner MarĂa Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a plain white wall, her exact location remains unknown.
"MarĂa Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any additional information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had earlier confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" 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 "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."
Potential Return and Public Appearance
Machado had previously informed 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 initial return to the public eye since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Election Backdrop
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released tallies indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.
