Peace Prize Organizers Unsure About When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony

A scheduled media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, 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 contested 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.

She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite regularly posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her exact location remains unknown.

"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 cannot at this point provide any additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

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

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Public Appearance

Machado had previously informed her followers that she intended to return to Venezuela after receiving the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent appearance before cameras 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 tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. 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.