Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Peace Prize Laureate Is to Arrive for Award Event

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

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

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

Despite regularly posting video updates 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 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 offer any additional information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."

The institute had earlier confirmed she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had commented 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 deemed a "fugitive" by the government. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and facing numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "acts of 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 attends the ceremony, it would mark her first public appearance since January 2025. Her last public appearance 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 suggesting they had won, despite Maduro declaring himself the winner. Several nations, such as the United States, have recognized its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was prohibited from participating in that election.