Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain About When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony

A planned press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate 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 contested 2024 election. She and her supporters assert the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

Despite regularly posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location is a mystery.

"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 are unable to 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 previously confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

Venezuela's authorities have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "fugitive" by the government. 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 regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Public Appearance

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

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last appearance before cameras 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 groups released tallies suggesting they had been victorious, 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 participating in that election.