Venezuelan Democracy Fighter Skips Nobel Ceremony- Promises to Continue Her Struggle

María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, did not attend the Oslo ceremony held today to honour her for her efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela.

Instead, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, accepted the prize on her behalf. The director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute confirmed Machado was not in Norway and that her current whereabouts remain undisclosed.

Machado, 58, has been in hiding since early 2025 after being briefly detained following protests in the country’s capital.

She has not made any public appearance since then. Despite being barred from leaving Venezuela under a long-standing travel ban, she was declared the Nobel laureate in October for her steadfast work advocating democratic rights amid what many international observers deem authoritarian rule.

In a recorded message played during the ceremony, Machado expressed deep gratitude to her supporters, asserting that the award belongs to “all Venezuelans demanding freedom.”

She pledged that her struggle would continue and urged the global community to remain watchful of her homeland’s future. She also thanked “those who risked their lives” so she could accept the prize — a subtle reference to the dangers faced by activists and opposition figures under the current regime.

Her daughter, acting as her representative, delivered the formal acceptance speech. Meanwhile, Latin American heads of state and other dignitaries attended the ceremony in Oslo as a show of solidarity, underscoring the regional significance of her award.

Human rights groups and many in the Venezuelan diaspora hailed the move as a powerful symbol of resistance against political repression.

At the same time, the fact that Machado could not attend in person, owing to fear of arrest if she leaves the country, highlights the risks faced by dissidents in Venezuela and raises further concern about the state of political freedoms there.

Sources: The Guardian; Reuters; Associated Press; Euronews; Sky News.