Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain About When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony

A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner 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 out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.

She was granted 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 a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute 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 physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Legal Threats

Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the government. Her family members are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, 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 added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she intended 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 most recent 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 published vote counts indicating they had been victorious, 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 banned from participating in that election.