Nobel Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event

A scheduled press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate 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 current location.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her allies assert the vote was stolen.

She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

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

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about when and how 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 commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Legal Threats

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

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

Planned Comeback and Public Appearance

Machado had previously informed her supporters that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

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

Election Backdrop

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