Peace Prize Organizers Unsure About When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event

A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was cancelled 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 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 receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting video updates on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her exact location is unknown.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway will be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point provide any further information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Government Stance and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "fugitive" by the authorities. Her family members 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 cases, she is considered a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Public Appearance

Machado had earlier informed her supporters that she planned to return to Venezuela after receiving the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a protest 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 suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.