Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony for Venezuelan Leader Maria Corina Machado
The Norwegian Nobel Institute stated on Wednesday that Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition figure restricted from leaving her country by the Maduro government, will not attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in person.
“Unfortunately, she is not in Norway and will not be on stage at Oslo City Hall at 1 p.m. when the ceremony begins,” said Christian Berg Haapviken, the institute’s director, in a statement to Norway’s NRK.
Machado, a former lawmaker and the head of Venezuela’s only major center-right party, Vente Venezuela, has been in hiding at an undisclosed location in Venezuela since the controversial presidential election in July 2024. She faces potential arrest under accusations of “conspiracy, incitement to hatred,” and “terrorism.”
Additionally, the Venezuelan government has enforced a comprehensive travel ban against her, which has remained active since 2014, serving as a penalty for her support of anti-regime protests at that time.
In October, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Machado the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing her relentless efforts to promote the democratic rights of Venezuelans and her fight for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. She was expected to receive the award in Oslo at 12 p.m. GMT on Wednesday.
Although Machado has expressed intentions to travel to Oslo for the ceremony, her exact location has not been disclosed, and it’s uncertain if she is still in Venezuela.
Her sister, Clara Machado, mentioned that the family is hopeful. “At the moment we don’t really know. She is trying to go to Oslo. That is her hope,” she said amidst speculation regarding Machado’s attendance.
In late November, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab noted that the regime actively sought Machado’s arrest, warning that if she left Venezuela, she would be labeled a “fugitive.”
“She is considered a fugitive because she is outside Venezuela and is the subject of numerous criminal investigations,” Saab remarked to AFP at that time.
Many regional leaders and international figures have gathered in Oslo for the ceremony, including notable attendees such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Panama’s Jose Raul Mulino, who have expressed their intention to support Machado during the event.
Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman Jørgen Watne Fridnes indicated that the organization is aware of the risks involved in her travel and is operating under the hope that Machado will be able to return to Venezuela to continue her vital work.
Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has been a subject of intense debate, prompting strong reactions from socialist leader Nicolas Maduro and his administration, as well as from various international observers.
