Nobel Officials Uncertain About When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event

A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute 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 assert the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting video updates 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 difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any further information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the government. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."

Potential Return and Public Appearance

Machado had previously told her supporters that she intended to go back 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 protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published vote counts indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.