Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Ceremony

A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is presently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute stated they are completely in the dark regarding her current location.

Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, has been out of public view since the country's disputed 2024 election. She and her allies maintain the vote was stolen.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to establish democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.

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

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how challenging the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore cannot at this point offer any further information about when and how she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had previously confirmed she would be present at 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 Potential Consequences

Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. 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 facing numerous criminal cases, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Visibility

Machado had previously informed her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after receiving the prize.

If she attends 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, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts indicating they had won, 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.