Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made her first public appearance in Norway after 11 months in hiding, as her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf.
María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, re-emerged in public on Thursday in Oslo, Norway, after spending 11 months in hiding. Her appearance coincided with her daughter accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf, a significant recognition for Machado’s efforts against the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Machado had been in hiding since January 9, when she was briefly detained after participating in a demonstration in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Her public recognition comes as a result of her peaceful challenge to Maduro’s regime, which has faced widespread criticism for its authoritarian practices.
As Machado stepped onto the balcony of a hotel in Oslo, she was greeted by a crowd chanting “Freedom!” She waved to her supporters and joined them in singing the national anthem of Venezuela. In an audio recording shared on the Nobel website, Machado expressed her gratitude for the efforts made to bring her to the ceremony, acknowledging that many had “risked their lives” for her cause.
“I am very grateful to them, and this is a measure of what this recognition means to the Venezuelan people,” she stated.
In her absence, Machado’s daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the Nobel Prize, emphasizing her mother’s unwavering desire for a free Venezuela. “She will never give up on that purpose,” Sosa declared, adding, “That is why we all know, and I know, that she will be back in Venezuela very soon.”
Outside the hotel, Machado interacted with supporters, embracing them as they took photographs and chanted “President! President!” She responded to the crowd, saying, “I want you all back in Venezuela.”
Machado’s appearance in Norway came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States had seized a Venezuelan oil tanker. This action is likely to exacerbate tensions between the U.S. and Maduro’s government, which is already facing extensive sanctions targeting its oil sector.
Since September, U.S. military operations have reportedly targeted alleged narcotraffickers near Venezuela, with at least 22 strikes resulting in the deaths of 87 individuals. Trump has also indicated that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and has not ruled out the possibility of a ground operation in Venezuela.
Steve Yates, a senior research fellow for China and national security policy at The Heritage Foundation, commented on “Fox News @ Night” that Machado’s visit to Norway presents an opportunity to garner “greater international support” for her cause. He noted that Trump might benefit from having more European allies endorse a “non-invasion” approach to the situation in Venezuela.
Machado has been a vocal supporter of the Trump administration’s actions against Maduro’s regime and the narcotrafficking network in the country. Following the announcement of her Nobel Peace Prize win in October, she dedicated the award to both Trump and the “suffering people of Venezuela.”
In a recent interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Machado described Venezuela as being on the “threshold of freedom,” highlighting her new “freedom manifesto,” which envisions a future without the Maduro regime.
Her reappearance in Norway marks a pivotal moment for Machado and the Venezuelan opposition, as they continue to seek international support in their struggle for democracy and human rights in Venezuela, according to Fox News.