Nobel Organizers Uncertain When Nobel Winner Is to Arrive for Ceremony

A planned media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are without any clear information regarding her whereabouts.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 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 anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

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

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide 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 be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Legal Threats

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

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having 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 previously told her followers that she intended to go back 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 public appearance 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 published tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.