Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado will not attend this year’s Nobel ceremony in Oslo, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has confirmed.
Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, has been in hiding for over a year and is barred from leaving the country. At present, her exact location remains unknown.
Machado had earlier stated that she was attempting to attend the ceremony despite the risk of being barred from returning to Venezuela. However, Kristian Berg Harpviken, head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Wednesday that she was not in Norway and would not be present at the event. He added that it remains uncertain whether Machado will be able to reach Oslo at all.
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The event, set to begin at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), will be attended by Norwegian royalty along with several Latin American leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei and Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa.
Her daughter will accept the award on her behalf at Oslo City Hall, Harpviken said. He also serves as the secretary of the Nobel Committee.
Why is María Corina hiding?
Over the past year, Machado has spent most of her time in hiding to avoid arrest. She recently told NRK that she was doing everything possible to travel to Norway and return safely to her country, despite the difficulties of both leaving and re-entering Venezuela.
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Machado has been a fearless advocate for democracy in a nation that has shifted from a semi-authoritarian state into a harsh dictatorship over the past two decades. When announcing the prize, Nobel Committee Chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes described Machado as a “brave and committed champion of peace…who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. has increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down. The Trump administration has deployed the largest U.S. military presence in the region in decades off the coast of Venezuela and has authorised strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels.
Trump has also threatened further military action against Venezuela, including potential land attacks. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump offered Maduro a chance to leave the country, though the 63-year-old Venezuelan leader has not accepted the offer.
