Nobel Officials Unsure About When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony
A scheduled press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are without any clear information regarding her current location.
Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location remains unknown.
"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Official Position and Potential Consequences
Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."
Planned Comeback and Visibility
Machado had earlier informed her followers that she intended 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 most recent appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Political Context
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.