Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado missed the Nobel Peace Prize award in Oslo

Oslo, Norway – Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado We will miss the ceremony to award him the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Wednesday, said the head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

Machado last appeared 11 months ago. The director of the Nobel Institute Kristian Berg Harpviken told the public event Nrk The Venezuelan leader Venezuela is the leader of Norway on the day of the ceremony and his daughter will accept the award on behalf of Machado.

“We confirm that he will not be able to attend the Nobel ceremony, but we hope for his presence throughout the day’s agenda,” said Machado’s spokesperson, Claudia Macero. He did not provide details of Machado’s current location.

Harpviken said four days ago That Machado assured him that he would attend the event, although he said at the time, “with the security situation, we will not say much about the date or how he will arrive.”

Prominent Latin American figures are scheduled to attend Wednesday’s ceremony in the language of Machado’s unity, including the President of Argentina Javier Milei, the President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa, the President of Panama Santiago Peña.

Machado has been living in hiding and has not been seen in public since Jan. 9, when he was briefly arrested after joining supporters in a protest in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.

The 58-year-old’s victory, due to his struggle for democratic gains in his democratic South American nation, was announced on Oct. 10, and was described as a woman who “keeps the flame of democracy burning amid the growing darkness.”

Machado won the opposition election and intended to challenge President Nicolás Maduro in the last Presidential election, but the government prevented him from running for office. The discrimination retired Edmundo González took his place.

The lead up to the July 28, 2024 elections saw their scandals, including impeachment, arrests and human rights violations. That increased after the National Assembly, dominated by Maduro loyalists, was declared the winner.

González sought asylum in Spain last year after fleeing a Venezuelan court.

Human rights authorities, the UN and many international rights groups have expressed concern about the situation in Venezuela, and have called on Maduro to respond to the crackdown on the conflict.

Five Nobel Peace Prize lauresiones

The others were Liu Xiaobo of China in 2010, Ang San Suu Kyi of Myanmar in 1991 and Carl von Ossietzkky of Germany in 1935.

“There is a long tradition that when the peace prize cannot be present, the closest family members stand,” Harpviken said. “That happened with Narges Mohammadi, and Ales Bialiatski; both were arrested then. And the same will happen with Maria Corina Machado today.”