Venezuelan authorities have taken a dramatic step against opposition leader María Corina Machado, declaring her a fugitive if she leaves teh country to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. The move, announced November 20, 2025, further escalates political tensions within Venezuela and draws increased scrutiny to its complex relationship with the United States amid accusations of interference and planned attacks. Machado’s status now puts her at the center of a diplomatic standoff with potentially far-reaching consequences for the nation’s already fragile political landscape.
Venezuelan authorities have declared opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado a fugitive if she leaves the country to accept the award, escalating tensions in a nation already facing political turmoil. The move comes as Caracas accuses Machado of conspiracy and terrorism, and amid heightened scrutiny of Venezuela’s relationship with the United States.
Machado, who is currently in hiding within Venezuela, has stated her intention to travel to Oslo, Norway, to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10th. The announcement from the prosecutor’s office effectively bars her from doing so.
“Being outside of Venezuela and subject to numerous criminal investigations, she is considered a fugitive,” stated Attorney General Tarek William Saab. He further alleged that Machado is accused of “acts of conspiracy, incitement to hatred, and terrorism” by the Venezuelan justice system.
Saab also claimed that more than 100 individuals, described as “mercenaries” from over 30 different nationalities and “linked to the CIA,” are being pursued by the public prosecutor’s office. This development underscores the increasingly fraught relationship between Venezuela and the United States.
Late October, Caracas announced it had dismantled a “criminal cell” allegedly connected to the CIA, which authorities say was planning an attack on the USS Gravely, a U.S. Navy ship docked in Trinidad and Tobago, with the intention of implicating Venezuela. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil made the announcement.
PHOTO CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nicolas Maduro
The accusations come as Washington has deployed a naval fleet, including the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean and Pacific, ostensibly to combat drug trafficking. President Nicolás Maduro views this deployment as an attempt to “impose a regime change” in Caracas.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated Monday that he would “at some point” speak with his Venezuelan counterpart, who has expressed willingness to engage in “one-on-one” talks with the American president.
María Corina Machado, 58, leader of the Venezuelan opposition, maintains that Nicolás Maduro fraudulently won the July 2024 election, securing a third six-year term.
The United States and much of the international community have not recognized the election results. The situation raises concerns about the future of democracy and political stability in Venezuela.
In a video conference interview with AFP in mid-October, Machado expressed confidence that President Maduro “will leave power with or without negotiations.”
