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

A scheduled press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are completely in the dark regarding her whereabouts.

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 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 in front of a plain white wall, her precise location is unknown.

"María Corina Machado has herself stated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to 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 previously stated she would attend the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Official Position and Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado departed from Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her family members are already in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is accused of "alleged conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had earlier informed her followers that she intended to return to Venezuela after receiving 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 protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published tallies indicating they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.