Venezuela says opposition leader will become fugitive if she collects Nobel

Venezuela’s government has warned that opposition leader María Corina Machado will be treated as a fugitive if she attempts to travel to Norway to receive her Nobel Peace Prize. The statement came from Attorney General Tarik William Saab, who told AFP that Machado is wanted on charges including conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism. She has been living in hiding for months to avoid arrest.

Machado, fifty eight, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October for her role in pushing for a peaceful transition from authoritarian rule to democracy in Venezuela. The Nobel Committee described her as one of the most courageous civilian leaders in Latin America. Machado, long one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures, has repeatedly accused President Nicolás Maduro’s government of criminal behaviour and urged Venezuelans to unite and demand democratic change. Many international governments also consider Maduro’s leadership illegitimate.

Last year, Machado was blocked from running in the presidential election despite her overwhelming popularity in opposition primaries. Although she was barred, she rallied the opposition behind Edmundo González, a little known diplomat who became the substitute candidate. Official election results declared Maduro the winner of a third six year term, but tallies from individual polling stations showed González winning by a wide margin. González later fled to Spain out of fear for his safety, and authorities soon began pursuing other opposition members as well.

When announcing Machado’s Nobel award, committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes expressed hope she would be able to attend the ceremony on December ten, but acknowledged the risks she faced. Machado reacted with humility, saying the prize belonged to the Venezuelan people and their long struggle for freedom.

The charges against her appear linked not only to her political activism but also to her vocal support for stronger international pressure on the Maduro government. Attorney General Saab said she is under investigation for backing United States military operations in the Caribbean. These operations, launched during Donald Trump’s administration, targeted vessels accused of transporting drugs from South America to the United States. Dozens of Venezuelans were killed in the strikes. Trump has accused Maduro of leading a drug trafficking cartel, a claim the Venezuelan president denies. Maduro has countered by alleging that Trump wants to provoke a war to seize Venezuela’s oil resources, though he recently said he is open to direct talks with Trump’s representatives.

Machado continues to appeal to Venezuelans, especially the military, urging them to break with Maduro. In a video released on Tuesday, she outlined her vision for a democratic future and called it a “freedom manifesto.” She told supporters that the nation stands on the edge of a new era, one in which fundamental rights must prevail.