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

A planned media briefing 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 whereabouts.

Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was fraudulently taken.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts 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 exact location is a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point offer any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered 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 followers 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 appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

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