The head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute said that Maria Corina Machado will not attend the award ceremony in Oslo on Wednesday to receive her Nobel Peace Prize. Machado, who is a Venezuelan opposition leader, made her public appearance 11 months ago. According to the reports by AP, she was not present in the capital city on the day of the ceremony. However, her daughter is set to collect the award on her behalf, as told by the Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpviken to public broadcaster NRK.
Machado was called a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness” and has been awarded for her struggle to make Venezuela a democratic country. She was announced as the Nobel Peace Prize winner on October 10.
Why is Maria Corina Machado not seen publicly?
The Nobel laureate has been in contention with the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ever since she won an opposition primary election in July 2024. The government barred her from running for office, and she was replaced with Edmundo Gonzalez, a retired diplomat. The Venezuelan attorney general has said that Machado would be considered a “fugitive” in case she were to leave the country to accept the award.
Machado’s spokesperson Claudia Macero told AP that, “We confirm that she will not attend the Nobel ceremony, but we are optimistic about her presence on the rest of the day’s agenda.”
Machado has reportedly been living in hiding ever since her last public appearance on January 9, after she was detained briefly during a protest in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. There were widespread arrests of the opposition figures in Venezuela following the disputed win of Nicolas Maduro.
What is the reason for Maria Corina Machado’s absence?
Her whereabouts are unknown, and several opposition figures in the Venezuelan opposition say that any information about her location or movements could prove detrimental to her safety, although they are “awaiting confirmation” from Machado.
Many past Nobel Peace Prize laureates have been imprisoned at the time of the award ceremony, according to the official website of the Nobel, which could be a primary reason for her avoiding the event. Several figures, which include the recent winner, Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi, who was detained in 2023, and Belarusian human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski in 2022.
AP reported that several key figures from Latin America had planned to attend the ceremony to show solidarity with Machado, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino, and Paraguayan President Santiago Pena.
The ceremony will still go ahead, as when a laureate is unable to attend the ceremony, a family member delivers the Nobel lecture; in this case, it will be Machado’s daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado. Machado dedicated the award to US President Donald Trump when she won it in October.
Also Read: Did Donald Trump Call Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado After Her Nobel Peace Prize Win?
