Nobel Organizers Unsure When Nobel Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event

A scheduled press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.

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 anticipated 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 precise location remains a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to 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 commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

Venezuela's authorities have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her family members are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, 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 "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had earlier told her supporters that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting 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 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 won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.