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A scheduled press conference featuring María Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate currently in hiding, was canceled Tuesday, with the Nobel Institute stating they lack information regarding her present location.
Machado, a prominent opposition figure in Venezuela, has been in hiding since the contested 2024 election, which she and her supporters allege was fraudulent.
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democracy in Venezuela, Machado was expected to formally accept the honor at a ceremony Wednesday.
While Machado frequently provides video updates via social media, typically against a plain white backdrop, her current whereabouts remain unknown.
The Nobel Institute had previously indicated her planned attendance at the event. However, on Tuesday it released a statement noting: “María Corina Machado has, in interviews, acknowledged the significant challenges associated with traveling to Oslo, Norway. Consequently, we are unable to provide further details at this time concerning when and how she will arrive for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.”
Machado’s family is already present in Oslo.
The Venezuelan government has asserted that should Machado leave the country, she would be considered a “fugitive” by national authorities.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab told AFP last month: “By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive.” He further stated that she faces accusations of “acts of conspiracy, incitement of hatred, [and] terrorism.”
Machado previously informed her followers that she intended to return to Venezuela after receiving the prize.
Her attendance would mark her first public appearance since early January, when she participated in a protest in Caracas on January 9 against the inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Following Venezuela’s 2024 election, the opposition released tallies indicating their victory, despite Maduro’s claim of success. Some nations, including the United States, have recognized the opposition candidate, Edmundo González, as the president-elect.
Machado was barred from participating in the election.
Alfredo Díaz, 56, died in prison cell on Saturday, human rights groups say, prompting opposition outcry.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has distanced himself from a follow-up attack on a suspected drug vessel.
The US has justified its air and naval campaign as necessary to fight drug smuggling into the US.
Experts have suggested several attacks launched by the US may be illegal under international law.
The admiral who gave the order for a second strike on an alleged drug boat briefed lawmakers about the incident, as the military confirmed another attack.
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