Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado risks being labeled a “fugitive” if she travels to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, according to the country’s attorney general.
The 58-year-old was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October for her efforts toward a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela. Machado has consistently criticized President Nicolás Maduro’s government, calling it “criminal” and urging Venezuelans to unite against his regime.
Machado was barred from participating in last year’s presidential elections, which Maduro won for a third term. The elections were widely condemned internationally as neither free nor fair, sparking nationwide protests. Despite her exclusion, Machado successfully rallied opposition support behind Edmundo González, who later fled to Spain fearing government repression.
The Nobel Committee praised Machado as “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America,” acknowledging the dangerous environment she faces. Nobel chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes expressed hope she could attend the December 10 ceremony in Oslo.
Machado called the award a recognition not just of her efforts, but of the Venezuelan people as a whole. She has also encouraged the military to oppose Maduro, presenting her vision for a free Venezuela in a “freedom manifesto” video.
The attorney general further noted Machado’s support for US military involvement in the Caribbean, amid Trump-era operations targeting drug trafficking from South America, which have killed over 80 people, mostly Venezuelans. Tensions between Maduro and the Trump administration remain high, though Maduro has recently expressed willingness to hold talks.
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