Nobel Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony

A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are without any clear information regarding her current location.

Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, 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 expected to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

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

"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 provide any additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the government. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.

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

Potential Return and Visibility

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

If she attends 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 swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published vote counts indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.