Venezuelan Nobel laureate Machado arrives in Oslo after 11 months in hiding
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Nobel peace laureate María Corina Machado at the balcony of a hotel in Oslo, Norway, early on Dec. 11 local time. Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was cheered by a large crowd after she arrived in Oslo early Thursday, hours after her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway's capital on her behalf.
Why it matters: It's the first public appearance in 11 months by the 58-year-old industrial engineer who's been under a travel ban for a decade and who has been in hiding since the ruling Maduro regime blocked her from running for president.
State of play: A cheer erupted in the lobby of Oslo's Grand Hotel, which hosts winners of the world's top diplomatic prize, as Norwegian Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes told those gathered there that Machado "has arrived in Oslo" and was "on her way here" after meeting with family members.
- He said he'll give details of a "program for tomorrow" concerning the pro-democracy activist.
- Machado shared on X video of the warm welcome she received at the hotel balcony with the comment: "Oslo, here I am!"
- In another post, she shared photos from the scene with the comment: "The hug that all of Venezuela needs."
Zoom in: Her daughter Ana Corina Sosa Machado on Wednesday accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother's behalf at a ceremony in Oslo.
- "It reminds the world that democracy is essential to peace," the 33-year-old said, reading her mother's speech on what the award means.
- "And more than anything, what we Venezuelans can offer the world is the lesson forged through this long and difficult journey: that to have a democracy, we must be willing to fight for freedom."
Go deeper: Venezuelan opposition leader wins Nobel Peace Prize over Trump
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
