Venezuelan Nobel laureate who has been in hiding for months has arrived in Oslo to collect her Nobel Peace Prize, it has been reported.
The 58-year-old was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her just and peaceful struggle to move Venezuela from dictatorship to democracy.
Machado, considered one of the country’s most respected voices in the Venezuelan opposition, has long been denounced as a criminal by President Nicolas Maduro’s government, which has imposed a travel ban on her and designated her a fugitive.
She was barred from running in last year’s presidential election, in which he won a third six-year term. The vote was widely rejected on the international stage, and Machado continued to accuse Maduro’s regime of funding criminal activities such as drugs and human trafficking, and repeatedly called on the international community to help Venezuela cut off these flows of criminal resources.
The Maduro government has repeatedly threatened her with arrest and has labeled her a terrorist for calling for a foreign invasion and protesting the election results. Last month, Venezuela’s attorney general said that Machado would be considered a fugitive if she traveled to Norway to collect her prize, and she has been charged with conspiracy, inciting hatred, and terrorism.
However, despite the obstacles, Machado has arrived in Oslo, and there is much speculation about whether she will be able to return to Venezuela.
