A major opposition leader in Venezuela, María Corina Machado has emerged from months in hiding to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.
She says she is fully aware of the risks involved in defying her government’s travel ban.
Machado, who has not been seen in public since January, made a covert journey to Norway despite being prohibited from leaving Venezuela and facing threats from the government that she would be declared a fugitive if she traveled abroad.
Her appearance came in the middle of the night, when she waved to a crowd of cheering supporters from the balcony of Oslo’s Grand Hotel. In an emotional moment, she blew kisses to the crowd and joined them in song.
“I know exactly the risks I’m taking,” Machado told the BBC, stating the perilous nature of her decision to attend the ceremony.
The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, has previously accused Machado of conspiring with foreign powers and has taken legal and political measures to restrict her movements and influence. Her trip to Norway is seen as a direct challenge to those restrictions.
Machado’s acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize has drawn international attention to Venezuela’s political crisis and the ongoing crackdown on dissent. Supporters and human rights organizations have hailed her courage, while the Maduro administration is expected to respond forcefully to what it views as an act of defiance.
The Nobel Committee awarded Machado the prize in recognition of her nonviolent struggle for democracy and human rights in Venezuela. Her clandestine journey to Oslo has turned the award ceremony into a powerful symbol of resistance and global solidarity.
