Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain About When Peace Prize Winner Will Arrive for Award Event

A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are without any clear information regarding her whereabouts.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding 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 work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her precise location is unknown.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any further information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" 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 "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 facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she planned to return to Venezuela after receiving the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her initial return to the public eye since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, against the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.