Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado made a dramatic appearance in Oslo early Thursday morning after a perilous escape from Venezuela. She arrived at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, shortly after her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf due to her absence from the official ceremony. The Nobel Committee recognized Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights” against the authoritarian regime of President Nicolás Maduro.
Machado, 58, stands as a key figure in Venezuela’s opposition landscape and leads the party that claimed victory in the disputed 2024 presidential election, receiving 67 percent of the vote according to international observers. In contrast, Maduro’s government declared its own victory, resulting in a crackdown characterized by arrests, raids, and intimidation tactics that forced Machado into hiding for nearly a year.
Her unexpected arrival in Norway adds tension to the already strained relationship between Maduro and the U.S. administration led by Donald Trump. The Trump administration has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean and conducted airstrikes against vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, with accusations against Maduro for overseeing powerful drug cartels.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Machado initiated her escape on Monday afternoon from a suburb of Caracas. Disguised in a wig and accompanied by two aides, she navigated roughly ten military checkpoints over a span of ten hours to reach a coastal fishing village. Following a brief rest, they embarked on a small wooden fishing boat at around 5 a.m. for a treacherous journey across the Caribbean towards Curaçao. The group faced turbulent seas and strong winds, which delayed their progress.
The escape network, previously instrumental in aiding others to flee Venezuela, alerted the U.S. military to avoid any misidentification during the airstrikes targeting vessels in the region. While individuals familiar with the operation indicated that U.S. officials knew of the escape, they denied direct military coordination with the group. Around the time of the crossing, U.S. Navy F-18 fighter jets were observed flying in tight circles near the escape route.
Machado reached Curaçao at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, where she was met by a private security contractor known for conducting extractions, reportedly provided by the Trump administration. Exhausted from her journey, she checked into a hotel for the night before boarding a private jet arranged by an associate in Miami. The flight from Curaçao to Oslo included a refueling stop in Bangor, Maine.
Before departing, Machado recorded a brief audio message expressing gratitude to those who risked their lives to assist her escape. In another audio message released by the Nobel Peace Prize committee, she confirmed her departure from Venezuela and her travel to Oslo for the award festivities. Despite this, the Nobel Institute stated they were unaware of her location as the award ceremony commenced.
During the ceremony, Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes described Machado’s escape as occurring “in a situation of extreme danger.” Since she did not arrive in time, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the Peace Prize on her behalf, assuring the audience, “She will be back in Venezuela very soon.”
Later, outside the Grand Hotel, Machado greeted supporters who chanted “¡Valiente!” (“brave”) and sang the Venezuelan national anthem. She waved from a balcony before climbing over a metal barrier to embrace those in the crowd.
Originally an industrial engineer and National Assembly deputy, Machado became a central figure in the opposition after being ousted from parliament in 2014. She faced disqualification from holding office and was forced into hiding amid threats and repression. In October, she was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for leading a united opposition and successfully challenging Maduro in the electoral process, despite being barred from participating directly and seeing her chosen candidate, Edmundo González, exiled.
In a message posted on X following her Nobel win, Machado dedicated the award “to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause.” Former Venezuelan lawmaker Julio Borges remarked on X that the Nobel Peace Prize for Machado represents a recognition of her moral leadership, highlighting the enduring struggle of the Venezuelan people against totalitarianism.
