María Corina Machado, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition who has remained underground for several months, shared with the BBC that she is fully aware of the “exact risks” associated with her journey to Norway to receive her Nobel Peace Prize.
She was spotted in Oslo late at night, greeting people from a hotel balcony. This marked her first public appearance since January.
Machado undertook the secretive trip despite being under a travel restriction and facing threats from the Venezuelan authorities, who warned she would be deemed a fugitive if she proceeded.
In a poignant moment, Machado waved at enthusiastic supporters who gathered outside the Grand Hotel in the Norwegian capital, blowing kisses and singing along with them.
To their excitement, she later emerged to greet them personally, climbing over the security barriers to draw nearer.
“Maria!” “Maria!” they cheered, lifting their phones to capture the historic occasion.
Earlier on Wednesday, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of her mother.
This year’s Nobel Institute recognized Machado with the award for “her battle to foster a fair and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy” in Venezuela.
Machado had not seen her children for nearly two years, having sent them away from Venezuela for their protection.
In an interview with the BBC’s Lucy Hockings post her balcony appearance, Machado expressed that she missed attending their graduations, as well as her daughter’s wedding and one of her son’s.
“I haven’t been able to embrace or touch anyone for over 16 months,” she remarked in the interview. “All of a sudden, in just a few hours, I’ve been able to see and touch the people I cherish the most, to cry and pray together.”
During the BBC conversation, Machado wore numerous rosary beads around her neck, which she stated had been given to her by supporters outside the hotel.
ReutersMachado has consistently condemned the government of President Nicolás Maduro as “criminal” and has urged Venezuelans to stand together to bring it down.
For a long time, she has been viewed as one of the most esteemed figures in the opposition within the country, yet was prevented from participating in last year’s presidential elections, which resulted in Maduro securing a third consecutive six-year term. Many countries regard his administration as illegitimate.
Recently, Venezuela’s attorney general stated that Machado would be classified as a fugitive if she went to Norway to accept her award, as she was accused of “conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism”.
The specifics of her travel from Venezuela to Norway were kept so confidential that even the Nobel Institute was unaware of her whereabouts or whether she would arrive in Oslo in time for the ceremony.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, described her journey as “a situation of extreme danger”.
Sitting alongside her during the BBC interview, Frydnes said that it was an “emotional” experience for him.
“To have you here in the middle of the night is unbelievable,” he remarked. “It’s difficult to articulate its significance for the Nobel committee and all of us.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, to escape Venezuela, Machado disguised herself, managed to navigate through 10 military checkpoints undetected, and departed on a fishing skiff from a coastal village.
The operation was two months in the planning, as reported by sources close to the endeavor, and she received assistance from a Venezuelan network that aids individuals seeking to flee the nation. U.S. involvement was also mentioned, although the extent remains unclear.
Nevertheless, when questioned by the BBC, Machado refrained from disclosing details of her escape.
“The government says I’m a terrorist and must stay imprisoned for life and they’re pursuing me,” she declared. “So leaving Venezuela today, under these circumstances, poses an immense risk.
“I want to emphasize today that I’m here because many men and women put their lives on the line for my arrival in Oslo.”
There has been considerable conjecture on whether Machado will safely be able to return to Venezuela.
“Naturally, I’m returning,” she conveyed to the BBC. “I know precisely the risks I’m assuming.”
“I intend to be in the location where I can be most beneficial for our cause,” she added. “Until recently, I believed I needed to be in Venezuela, but now the place I think I must be, for the sake of our movement, is Oslo.”
Following her Peace Prize achievement, Machado expressed admiration for U.S. President Donald Trump, who is vocal about his aspirations for the Peace Prize and is currently engaged in military tensions with Venezuela.
On Wednesday, he revealed that the U.S. military had confiscated an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coast, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts against Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
The Trump administration claims the vessel was sanctioned and was part of an “illegal shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations”.
The Venezuelan government has accused the U.S. of theft and piracy.
