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

A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, 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 in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a plain white wall, her precise location is a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated 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 provide any additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier 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 stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Public Appearance

Machado had earlier informed her followers that she intended to return to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released tallies suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. 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.