Peace Prize Organizers Uncertain When Nobel Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony

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

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

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

Despite regularly posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a neutral white wall, her exact location remains a mystery.

"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 cannot at this point provide any further information about the timing or manner in which she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier confirmed she would attend the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Government Stance and Legal Threats

Venezuela's authorities have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "By being 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 previously told her followers that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her most recent appearance before cameras was at a demonstration 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 indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was prohibited from running in that election.