Peace Prize Officials Uncertain When Peace Prize Laureate Will Arrive for Ceremony

A scheduled press conference by Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are without any clear information regarding her whereabouts.

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

She was granted the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a plain white wall, her precise location remains unknown.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated 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 additional information about when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously stated 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 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 "Because she is outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had previously told her supporters that she planned to go back to Venezuela after collecting the prize.

If she makes it to the ceremony, it would mark her initial return to the public eye since January 2025. Her last public appearance was at a protest in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Political Context

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released 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 prohibited from participating in that election.