Machado, winner of the Peace Prize, 'doing everything' to attend ceremony

With just a week remaining before the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, it remains uncertain whether Venezuelan opposition leader Mara Corina Machado will be present at the event. Machado expressed in an interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK, published Tuesday evening, that she is "doing everything, working hard to make it possible" to attend. "If I can be there in Norway on that day, it would be the greatest honor of my life," she said.

Machado was honored with this years Nobel Peace Prize in October for her dedication to defending democratic rights in Venezuela. The award ceremony traditionally takes place on December 10 at Oslo City Hall.

Her attendance has been in question for weeks due to her precarious situation in Venezuela, where she is currently in hiding. Venezuelan authorities have warned the 58-year-old opposition leader that leaving the country could result in her being considered a fugitive, as she is under investigation. She faces potential arrest or restrictions on reentry if she returns from Oslo. Machado has expressed fear for her life should authorities locate her. In the NRK interview, she described living in "total isolation" and having to adopt new methods to communicate with people in Venezuela. "Before, my life was always surrounded by thousands of people," she noted.

Machado is recognized as a key unifying figure for Venezuela's opposition and a vocal critic of President Nicols Maduro, who has ruled the country in an authoritarian style since 2013. She also commented on recent international pressure, praising US President Donald Trumps intensified stance and military presence in the Caribbean, emphasizing that it is time for Maduro to step down.

Author: Ava Mitchell