Nobel Officials Uncertain When Nobel Winner Will Arrive for Ceremony

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

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

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to establish democracy to Venezuela and was expected to receive in person the award at a ceremony on Wednesday.

Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically against a plain white wall, her exact location is a mystery.

"María Corina Machado has personally indicated in interviews how difficult the journey to Oslo, Norway is likely to be," organizers said in a statement. "We therefore are unable to at this point offer any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented that "everything suggests" the press conference would proceed despite a delay.

Official Position and Legal Threats

Venezuela's government have declared that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be deemed a "person fleeing justice" by the government. Her family members are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He stated she is facing charges for "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."

Potential Return and Visibility

Machado had previously told her followers 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 demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition groups released vote counts suggesting 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.