Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s indomitable opposition leader and the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, finds herself at the center of a high-stakes international drama as she weighs whether to emerge from hiding to collect her award in Oslo on December 10. The stakes couldn’t be higher: Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, has publicly declared that if Machado leaves the country, she will be considered a fugitive, citing ongoing criminal investigations against her. The announcement, made to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on November 20, 2025, has sent ripples through global diplomatic circles and reignited debates over democracy, legitimacy, and the future of Venezuela.
Machado, 58, is no stranger to political turmoil. Known as Venezuela’s “Iron Lady,” she has spent over two decades leading the charge for democratic rights and challenging the country’s increasingly autocratic leadership. Her efforts culminated last month, when the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded her the Nobel Peace Prize for what they described as her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” The Committee called her “one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times” and praised her as a “brave and committed champion of peace.”
But Machado’s journey to Oslo is anything but straightforward. Since August 2024, she has been in hiding within Venezuela, evading arrest on charges the government says include conspiracy, incitement of hatred, and terrorism. Saab told AFP, “By being outside Venezuela and having numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive.” Critics, both inside and outside Venezuela, argue these charges are politically motivated, designed to silence one of President Nicolás Maduro’s most vocal and effective opponents.
Machado’s troubles intensified following the disputed 2024 presidential election, in which Maduro secured a third consecutive six-year term. The election was widely dismissed by international observers—including the United States and several Latin American governments—as non-democratic and marred by irregularities. Machado herself was barred from running, despite winning a landslide victory in the opposition’s 2023 primary. Instead, she helped unite the fractured opposition behind Edmundo González, who was ultimately forced into exile after Maduro was declared the winner amid widespread allegations of vote-rigging.
The U.S. and many of its allies have refused to recognize Maduro’s leadership, instead backing González as the legitimate winner. The United States, under the Trump administration, has accused Maduro of collaborating with drug smuggling gangs and has increased military pressure in the Caribbean, including strikes on alleged drug boats. Machado has openly supported these efforts, calling the U.S. military presence a “necessary measure” toward the “restoration of popular sovereignty in Venezuela.” In a video released on November 18, she declared, “We are on the threshold of a new era. The long and violent abuse of power by this regime is coming to an end.”
The Nobel Committee’s decision to honor Machado has brought Venezuela’s crisis back into the international spotlight. The Committee expressed hope she could attend the ceremony in Oslo, but acknowledged the risks she faces. Machado herself remains defiant. In an exclusive interview last month, she told CBS News, “I believe winning the Nobel will give me a lot of protection from the Maduro regime. But the most important thing is that it highlights, worldwide, the importance of the struggle of Venezuela.” She also told AFP in mid-October, “Maduro will eventually leave office, with or without negotiation.”
Machado’s advocacy isn’t limited to speeches and interviews. She recently published her “Freedom Manifesto,” outlining a vision for a democratic Venezuela and calling for continued international support. In a November 19 interview with Opinion Editor Adam O’Neal, Machado discussed her manifesto and the future of her country, emphasizing her commitment to peaceful change and her belief that international attention is crucial. “Democracy dies in darkness,” she said, underscoring the stakes of her movement.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government has intensified its crackdown on dissent. Saab, the attorney general, noted that over 100 alleged mercenaries from more than 30 nationalities—allegedly linked to the CIA—are also being pursued by authorities. The government’s rhetoric has grown more combative, with Maduro accusing the U.S. and the opposition of plotting regime change and destabilization. Tensions between Machado and Maduro have only deepened since the disputed election, with the opposition leader’s continued calls for the military to turn against the government and for Venezuelans to resist what she describes as a “criminal” regime.
For many Venezuelans, Machado’s Nobel win is a rare moment of hope amid years of political repression, economic hardship, and international isolation. The award marks the first time a Venezuelan has received the Nobel Peace Prize, and it has galvanized the opposition and drawn renewed international attention to the country’s plight. Yet, the risks for Machado are real and immediate. If she attempts to travel to Norway, she faces the possibility of arrest and prosecution, not just upon her return, but potentially even before she can leave Venezuelan soil.
Machado has not wavered in her determination to attend the Nobel ceremony. “I have expressed my intention to travel to Norway to receive this prestigious award,” she told AFP. Her supporters argue that the international visibility granted by the Nobel Prize may offer her some measure of protection, and perhaps even leverage in the ongoing struggle for Venezuela’s future. Still, the threat from the Maduro regime hangs heavy. As Attorney General Saab made clear, Machado’s departure would trigger her formal designation as a fugitive—a move that could have unpredictable consequences both for her and for Venezuela’s embattled opposition movement.
The world will be watching on December 10. Will Machado risk everything to accept her Nobel Peace Prize in person, standing on the world stage as a symbol of resistance? Or will the threat of arrest force her to remain in hiding, her acceptance delivered by proxy? Either way, her story—and Venezuela’s struggle for democracy—has captured global attention, shining a light on a nation at a crossroads and a leader unwilling to back down, no matter the personal cost.
As the ceremony approaches, the fate of Maria Corina Machado remains uncertain, but her resolve—and the movement she leads—shows no sign of fading.
