Nobel Officials Unsure About When Peace Prize Winner 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 Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.

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

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite regularly posting video updates on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her precise location is a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any further information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier confirmed she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Legal Threats

Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

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

If she attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent public appearance was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups published tallies indicating they had been victorious, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.