Peace Prize Officials Unsure When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Ceremony

A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.

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

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish 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 plain white wall, her exact location remains unknown.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point provide any additional information about when and how 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 "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead 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 government. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had previously informed her supporters that she planned to return to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she attends 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 released vote counts indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.