Machado, the winner of the Peace Prize, is 'doing everything' to attend the ceremony

With just a week remaining before the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, uncertainty surrounds whether Venezuelan opposition leader Mara Corina Machado will be present at the event.

"I am doing everything possible, working tirelessly, to be there. If I make it to Norway, it would be the greatest honor of my life," Machado, a vocal critic of President Nicols Maduro, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK in an interview released Tuesday night.

Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize in October in recognition of her dedication to defending democratic rights in Venezuela. Traditionally, the award ceremony takes place on December 10 at Oslo City Hall.

Her attendance has been in question for weeks due to her precarious situation in Venezuela, where she is currently hiding in a secret location. The Venezuelan public prosecutor's office has warned that she could be considered a fugitive if she leaves the country amid ongoing investigations, potentially leading to arrest or restrictions on re-entry.

Machado expressed fears for her life if authorities locate her, noting that she is now living "in complete isolation" and has had to adopt new methods for communicating with people in Venezuela. "Previously, my life was always surrounded by thousands of people," she said in the interview.

Author: Benjamin Carter