Peace Prize Officials Unsure About When Nobel Laureate Will Arrive for Ceremony

A scheduled press conference by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently in hiding, was called off on Tuesday. The award committee stated they are without any clear information 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 allies assert the vote was fraudulently taken.

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

Despite regularly posting recorded messages 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," 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 earlier stated she would be present at the ceremony physically. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "everything suggests" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.

Official Position and Potential Consequences

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

Last month, Venezuela's attorney general, Tarek William Saab, informed a news agency that "Because she is outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is regarded as a fugitive." He added she is accused of "acts of conspiracy, promoting hatred, as well as terrorism."

Planned Comeback and Public Appearance

Machado had previously told her supporters that she planned 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 most recent appearance before cameras was at a demonstration in Caracas on 9 January, opposing the swearing-in of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Election Backdrop

Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition released vote counts indicating they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, including the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the president-elect. Ms. Machado was banned from running in that election.