Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has left Venezuela after years of persecution by Nicolás Maduro’s regime, her team confirmed.
However, despite finally reaching freedom abroad, she will not attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway.
The Nobel Institute also verified her absence. Machado was awarded the prize for her role in mobilising democratic resistance and exposing human rights abuses in Venezuela.
Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, will receive the award on her behalf.
Machado’s refusal to appear in person highlights ongoing fears of arrest or retaliation and underscores the political oppression still facing Venezuela’s democratic movement.
