A planned media briefing by Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who is currently keeping a low profile, was cancelled on Tuesday. The Nobel Institute 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 supporters maintain the vote was fraudulently taken.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to bring democracy to Venezuela and was anticipated to formally collect the award at a formal event on Wednesday.
Despite frequently posting recorded messages on social media, typically in front of a neutral white wall, her exact location remains 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 cannot at this point provide any further information about the timing or manner in which she will come for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony."
The institute had previously stated she would be present at the ceremony in person. Earlier on Tuesday, a spokesman had remarked that "all indications are" the press conference would go ahead despite a delay.
Venezuela's government have stated that if Machado left Venezuela, she would be considered a "person fleeing justice" by the authorities. Her relatives are reportedly in Oslo.
Last month, Venezuela's top prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, told a news agency that "By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive." He added she is facing charges for "alleged conspiracy, promoting hatred, and terrorism."
Machado had earlier told her supporters that she intended to go back to Venezuela after receiving 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.
Following Venezuela's 2024 election, the opposition published vote counts suggesting they had won, despite Maduro claiming victory. Several nations, such as the United States, have acknowledged its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the duly elected president. Ms. Machado was banned from participating in that election.
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