đź”— Share this article Nobel Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate MarĂa 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, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies 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 frequently posting video updates on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her exact location is a mystery. "MarĂa Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about the timing or manner in which 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 "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay. Official Position and Potential Consequences Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are already in Oslo. Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism." Planned Comeback and Visibility Machado had previously told her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize. If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Political Context Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released vote counts suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. 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.
A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate MarĂa 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, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies 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 frequently posting video updates on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her exact location is a mystery. "MarĂa Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," the Nobel Institute said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about the timing or manner in which 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 "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay. Official Position and Potential Consequences Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are already in Oslo. Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism." Planned Comeback and Visibility Machado had previously told her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize. If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Political Context Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released vote counts suggesting they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. 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.