OSLO. – The Venezuelan opposition leader made her first public appearance after a year in secret Maria Corina Machado has confirmed that received help from the USA for a risky exit from Venezuela and the subsequent journey to Oslowhere he arrived on Wednesday evening, hours after his daughter received the Nobel Peace Prize in his name.
His escape, which was kept in complete secrecy and was unknown even to the Nobel Institute until the last moment, was also part of his escape costumesnumerous military checkpointsA dangerous sea crossing and a subsequent carefully coordinated air transfer.
The opponent, who has been living underground since the July 2024 presidential election, traveled to Oslo just hours after her daughter. Ana Corina Sosa MachadoShe will represent her at the Nobel Prize ceremony as she could not arrive on time.
On November 6, the Nobel Institute reported that Machado would travel to Oslo. But his press conference scheduled for December 9th was first postponed and then canceled. “I just don’t know exactly where it is,” admitted Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the institute, on Wednesday.
Hours before the ceremony, the company announced that the Venezuelan leader would not attend the event and that her daughter would accept the award on her behalf. Nevertheless, the institute announced that Machado “a journey in a situation of extreme danger“His appearance on the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo at around 2 p.m. was met with applause and the singing of the Venezuelan anthem.
Accordingly The Wall Street JournalMachado began his escape Monday afternoon dressed in a wig and costume. Her first goal was to leave the Caracas suburb where she had remained hidden for a year and reach one Fishing village on the coast.
Accompanied by two people, she went on a trip from 10 hours what included ten military checkpointsin order to avoid the possibility of being discovered for each individual. He reached the coast before midnight.
After resting for a few hours, he undertook the most risky stage: a Cruise through the Caribbean to Curacao in a wooden fishing boat. It started on Tuesday at 5 a.m. (local time). strong winds and rough seas this delayed navigation.
According to sources consulted The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the network that organized the operation, had previously alerted US forces to prevent the ship from being confused with other ships that had been the target of recent attacks in the region.
Machado arrived in Curacao around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. There it was obtained from a private contractor specializing in extractions, provided – according to the WSJ – by the Trump administration. Exhausted after the crossing, she stayed overnight in a hotel to rest.
According to flight tracking platforms FlightRadar24 vs FlightAwareMachado took off on Wednesday morning from Hato International Airport in Willemstad on Curacao, a Dutch island on the doorstep 65 kilometers from the Venezuelan coast.
According to the Nuevo Herald, the plane that took them to Oslo was a Legacy 600from the Brazilian manufacturer Embraerwith a capacity for 13 passengers. The plane is registered in Mexicobased on Queretaro International Airport and is operated by the company Jet Vip Business Aviation.
According to flight records, the plane carrying Machado took off from Miami Opa Locka Executive Airport for Curaçao on Tuesday and landed in Willemstad that same night. On Wednesday it took off for Bangor, Maine, at 6:42 a.m. (local time). The journey took 4 hours and 43 minutes. After a technical stopover, it completed the final leg to Oslo Gardermoen, a flight of 6 hours and 24 minutes, landing around midnight.
Before boarding, Machado recorded an audio message thanking “so many people who risked their lives” so he could leave Venezuela.
While Machado was traveling, his daughter received the Nobel Prize in front of American lawmakers, diplomats and international leaders. The President of the Nobel Committee, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, stated that the opponent had passed through “a situation of extreme danger.”
Already in Oslo, Machado appeared on the balcony of the Grand Hotel and was greeted with “courageous” shouts and applause.
Machado reiterated his desire to return to his country: “I won’t say when or how, but I will do everything I can to put an end to this tyranny soon.”. However, it carries risks: the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office had warned that it was being considered “Refugee” If she leaves the country, she will be accused of conspiracy, sedition and terrorism.
The opponent also said that she “Aid from the United States Government” to leave Venezuela, in a context in which Washington and several European governments do not recognize Maduro’s re-election.
According to sources cited by the WSJ, Machado will rest for a few days after a year of living in conditions of isolation and scarcity. It then begins tour through Europe to provide greater support for Venezuela’s democratic cause and later will travel to Washington.
AFP Agency
About The Author
