Nobel-No-Show: Maria Corina Machado’s Defiant Struggle

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will not attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo due to her unknown whereabouts. Machado's daughter will accept the award, which Machado dedicated to Donald Trump. Her absence highlights resistance to the Venezuelan regime and international support for her cause.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will not attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo due to her unknown whereabouts, according to officials at the Norwegian Nobel Institute. Machado had been scheduled to receive the accolade at Oslo City Hall alongside distinguished international leaders.

Despite Machado's absence, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa Machado, will step in to accept the prize. This occasion marks another chapter in Machado's ongoing defiance against a travel ban imposed by Venezuela, which forced her into hiding over a year ago. Notably, Machado dedicated the award to former U.S. President Donald Trump, recognizing his controversial efforts against the Maduro regime.

The ceremony underscores the volatile political situation in Venezuela, where disputes over electoral results have persisted. The Nobel Prize was seen as a symbol of international recognition for the opposition's struggles in Venezuela, providing a powerful statement of support for democratic movements worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)