Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Peace Prize Winner Is to Arrive for Award Event

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

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

Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her exact location is a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will 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 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 "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government 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, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had previously told her supporters that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent appearance before cameras was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released tallies 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 president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.