WILLEMSTAD - Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado reportedly escaped Venezuela on Tuesday by boat and traveled to Curaçao, according to U.S. officials cited by international media. The clandestine journey reportedly formed part of a carefully orchestrated operation by her allies to protect her safety ahead of the award ceremony in Oslo.
Machado has spent much of the past year in hiding after a crackdown by the regime of Nicolás Maduro. She faced an arrest warrant, a revoked passport, and a government-imposed travel ban — obstacles that made her participation in the Nobel ceremony highly risky.
According to reports, Machado’s departure via boat was kept secret to avoid detection, and her allies worked discreetly to ensure the trip remained under the radar.
Despite reaching Curaçao, Machado was unable to attend the ceremony itself. Instead, her daughter accepted the prize on her behalf, delivering a powerful acceptance speech that condemned what she called “state terrorism” by the Venezuelan regime.
In a phone message released by her team, Machado expressed gratitude to those who risked their lives for her safe passage and confirmed that she was en route to Oslo.