Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony

A planned media briefing by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was called off on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location is unknown.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any further information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Official Position and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.

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

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she planned 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 last appearance before cameras was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released tallies 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 banned from running in that election.