Nobel Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event

A scheduled media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.

Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies assert the vote was fraudulently taken.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to establish democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her precise location remains unknown.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any further information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her relatives are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had previously informed her supporters 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 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 vote counts indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.