Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has arrived in Oslo. She made a dangerous escape from Venezuela. She defied the government to accept her award in person.
Her escape was a two-month secret operation. It was planned very carefully. She avoided capture by wearing a disguise. She passed through about 10 military checkpoints.
The 58-year-old opposition leader was hiding for more than a year. Venezuela had banned her from traveling. The government also threatened to call her a fugitive.
The Dangerous Journey
According to reports, her escape happened on Tuesday, December 10. She traveled from a hiding place to the Venezuelan coast. Her security team and a secret network helped her.
They used back roads to avoid attention. They moved at night. The checkpoints were a major risk. Soldiers were looking for her.
She reached a small coastal fishing village. From there, she left Venezuela on a wooden fishing boat. The small boat took her to the Caribbean island of Curaçao.
Flight to Freedom
From Curaçao, she boarded a private jet to Norway. She arrived in Oslo on Thursday, December 12. Reports say the United States was involved in the operation. The White House has not commented.
She appeared at the Grand Hotel in Oslo late at night. She waved to supporters from a balcony. She then jumped over barricades to meet the cheering crowd.
Emotional Arrival and Acceptance
The Nobel ceremony was held earlier that day. Her daughter accepted the prize for her. Just hours later, Machado arrived to accept it herself.
She spoke to the BBC about her journey. She did not share specific details for safety. “They say I’m a terrorist,” Machado said. “They say I have to be in jail for life. They were looking for me.”
“Leaving Venezuela was very, very dangerous,” she added. “I am here because many people risked their lives for me.”
The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee was amazed. Jorgen Watne Frydnes called her arrival “incredible.” He said her journey was one of “extreme danger.”
Maria Corina Machado is now safe in Norway. Her daring escape marks a bold challenge against Venezuela’s government.
