Venezuela Declares Maria Corina Machado a Fugitive Ahead of Nobel Ceremony

Post by : Raina Nasser

Venezuelan officials have issued a stark warning to opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Corina Machado, indicating she could be labeled a "fugitive" should she attempt to travel to Norway for the award ceremony on December 10. Currently in hiding in Venezuela, Machado has shown a desire to go to Oslo for the prestigious event.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab has announced that Machado is embroiled in several criminal investigations, facing serious charges such as conspiracy, inciting hatred, and terrorism. Additionally, she is scrutinized for her support of the U.S. military's presence in the Caribbean, which Caracas asserts is aimed at destabilizing President Nicolas Maduro's administration.

The United States has deployed its largest aircraft carrier alongside warships and fighter jets to the Caribbean for anti-drug operations. Machado has openly backed this military action, asserting that Maduro is involved in drug trafficking. In response, the Venezuelan government has condemned the attacks on suspected drug vessels as “extrajudicial executions,” estimating that more than 80 fatalities have resulted from such operations.

In a recent address, Machado characterized Venezuela as being “on the brink of a new dawn,” reiterating her opposition to Maduro's regime. Venezuelan authorities have made it clear that if she leaves the country while under investigation, she risks being deemed a fugitive, subject to legal repercussions.

This escalating scenario has heightened existing tensions within Venezuela's political landscape, shining a light on the deep-seated conflict between the ruling government and opposition figures. Machado's attendance at the Nobel ceremony now hangs in the balance amid the threats she faces.