Venezuela Shuts Embassy in Norway Days After Opposition Leader’s Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuela has closed its embassy in Oslo just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, a move that Norwegian officials called “regrettable” and observers widely read as a political signal from Caracas.

Norway’s foreign ministry said it was formally notified that the mission would shut, but no official reason was provided.

The Venezuelan embassy in Oslo had also covered consular services for Venezuelans in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland, meaning the closure affects the broader Nordic region.

Caracas has framed recent diplomatic changes as part of a broader “restructuring” of its foreign service. In tandem, the government has announced plans to reallocate resources and open or deepen representation in other countries, presenting the shift as a strategic realignment.

However, the timing, coming immediately after the Nobel announcement in Oslo, prompted Nordic and international media to characterise the step as a pointed response to Machado’s prize. Norwegian officials stressed the independence of the Nobel Committee from the government, reiterated a desire to keep dialogue open, and indicated Venezuelans would need to rely on alternative missions for consular assistance.

The embassy closure underscores Venezuela’s fraught relations with Western governments and adds a fresh layer of tension to a political landscape already marked by sanctions, contested elections, and a polarised diaspora.

For Venezuelans in the Nordics, the immediate practical questions involve passport renewals, civil registry services, and emergency assistance; Norway has not yet detailed interim arrangements beyond noting the mission’s shutdown.

In Caracas, officials and state-aligned media have criticised the Nobel decision, while opposition figures hailed international recognition of Machado’s pro-democracy advocacy.

Sources: Reuters; The Guardian; Euronews; Al Jazeera; South China Morning Post; The Journal; NDTV; AFP.