Peace Prize Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Winner Is to Arrive for Award Event

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 without any clear information regarding her current location.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's contested 2024 election. She and her supporters maintain the vote was stolen.

She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to formally collect the award at a formal event 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 herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about when and how 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 remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

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

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had previously told her supporters that she planned to return to Venezuela after receiving 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 swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts suggesting they had won, 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 running in that election.