Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event

A planned press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.

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

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person 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 remains unknown.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging 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 when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. 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 facing numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had previously told her followers that she intended to return to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her initial return to the public eye 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.

Political Context

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published tallies suggesting they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.