Peace Prize Organizers Unsure When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Award Event

A scheduled 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 without any clear information regarding her current location.

Machado, the leader of Venezuela's opposition, has been in hiding since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies assert 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 recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location is unknown.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult 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 come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

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

Official Position and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" 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 "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had previously told her followers that she planned 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 public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

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