The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Maria Corina Machadowill not be in Oslo this Wednesday to collect the Nobel Peace Prize This year, the director of the Nobel Institute, Kristian Berg Harpviken, confirmed this to Norwegian public television NRK.
“Unfortunately, he is not in Norway yet and he will not be on stage at Oslo City Hall at 1:00 p.m. (12:00 GMT) today (Wednesday), when the ceremony begins,” said Harpviken, who said that Machado’s daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, will receive the award in his place and will read the award speech..
The presence of Machado, whose whereabouts in Venezuela are unknown, this Wednesday in Oslo remained a mystery after the Nobel Institute first postponed its press conference the day before and finally suspended it a few hours later.
“Maria Corina Machado herself has said in interviews how complicated the trip to Oslo would be. That’s why, at the moment, We are unable to provide further information on when and how it will arrive. for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony”, the organization reported in a brief press release.
Machado had confirmed a few days ago to the Nobel Institute that he would travel to the Norwegian capital to receive the prize, during which This would be his first public appearance since last January.
Her sister, Clara Machado Parisca, said Tuesday in an interview from Oslo to Colombian station Blu Radio that the Nobel laureate’s intention is “to be here with us” and that is why they are waiting for her “with the faith that she will arrive very soon.”
In the Norwegian capital there are also his motherCorina Parisca, her sister and her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, who will be accompanied to the ceremony this Wednesday by her two brothers.
This is not the first time that a Nobel Peace Prize has not come to collect it on the day of the award. When the Chinese Liu Xiaobothen imprisoned, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, no one came to collect the prize. A photo of him was placed on the chair reserved for him and Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann read the acceptance speech. In 2022, the Belarusian Ales Bialiatskione of three Nobel Prize winners that year who remained in prison, was represented by his wife, Natallia Pinchuk. And when the Iranian did it Narges Mohammadialso imprisoned, in 2023, it was her children who went to Oslo to collect the prize and read the speech.
In addition to Machado’s children, there are today in Oslo several prominent figures of the Venezuelan opposition. Among them is Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiacandidate in last year’s presidential elections and exiled in Spain since September 2024, who visited the Norwegian capital on Tuesday.
Already present, invited by the winner, the presidents of Panama, José Raúl Mulino; Argentina, Javier Milei, and the arrival of the head of state of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, as well as that of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, are also expected. The four Latin American presidents will be received this Wednesday in audience by the King of Norway, Harald V, after the awards ceremony and will then meet separately with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre.
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