Nobel Officials Uncertain When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony

A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute 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 contested 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting video updates on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her precise location is a mystery.

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

The institute had earlier stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

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

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had previously 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 first public appearance 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 published vote counts suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.