UPDATED: Traditional events tied to the annual Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo got off to a late start on Tuesday, and then were abruptly cancelled when the prize winner failed to show up. Things were due to get lively, though, not least with four right-wing South American presidents in the Norwegian capital for the occasion and various demonstrations planned, as opposition to the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s choice this year rose.
This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezualan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, had been expected to arrive in Oslo in time for traditional meetings with members of the Nobel Committe, followed by a press conference at the Nobel Institute at 1pm on Tuesday. She’s been in hiding in her homeland but the Nobel Committee and its secretary, Kristian Berg Harpviken, had let it be known that they still thought as late as Monday that she’d find her way to Oslo and be willing and able to make public appearances by Tuesday morning.
That didn’t happen, and her whereabouts were not made known for security reasons. Machado is widely believed to have been in hiding at a foreign embassy in her homeland and, as a big fan of US President Donald Trump, would be smuggled out of the country with the help of American- or other allied officials. Her mother, also in hiding, has already arrived in Oslo on Tuesday as has her exiled daughter, both of whom were interviewed by Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) on Tuesday.
They and other family members had looked forward to finally meeting Machado after a long separation, since she was under constant arrest orders by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “We expect her (Machado, and her guests) in Oslo,” Harpviken had told NRK and other media when he was recently in New York.
The Nobel Institute, however, initially postponed the planned press conference with Machado at the Institute “indefinitely,” while still claiming that it would likely take place later in the day with at least a two-hour advance notice. No reason was given for the delay, but Machado hadn’t shown up publicly at Oslo’s Grand Hotel by late afternoon either.
The committee ended up announcing shortly before 5pm that the press conference, usually accompanied by other Peace Prize rituals with the committee, had been cancelled. It remained unclear whether Machado had made it to Oslo or even if she was on her way. Few details from the Institute were forthcoming.
Erik Aasheim, press chief for the Nobel Institute, told NRK that Machado herself had mentioned that traveling to Oslo woud be challenging. “We therefore can’t give any more information about when and how she will come for her Nobel Peace Prize,” he told NRK. He told news bureau NTB that “it’s about security and life and death for her, so that’s information we can’t reveal.” Nor was it clear whether there would be a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday).
As it turned out, she didn’t show up in Oslo on Tuesday and her whereabouts were unknown. She was reportedly still bound for Oslo, but it remained unclear whether she’d arrived in time for the Nobel Prize ceremony, always held on December 10, the anniversary of benefactor Alfred Nobel’s death.
Among others arriving in Oslo as guests of Machado, meanwhile, were the flamboyant president of Argentina, Javier Milei, along with the presidents of Paraguay (Santiago Pena), Ecuador (Daniel Noboa) and Panama (José Raul Mulino). All support Machado and Trump, and were expected to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on Wednesday, They are also likely to be among guests at the Nobel banquet at the Grand Hotel, which the Nobel Committee traditionally holds on behalf of the winner on the evening of December 10. A traditional torchlight parade just before the banquet to honour the Peace Prize winner was initially cancelled by its organizers, because of controversy around Machado as a winner, but was later rescheduled by some of her supporters.
Amidst all the Nobel chaos and uncertainty this year, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store was planning meetings with all four of his fellow national leaders who’d be visiting Oslo late Wednesday afternoon. The four separate meetings with each president were due to begin after the prize ceremony was over. Members of the government are among those also traditionally attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, along with the other officials and members of the Royal Family.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
