CARACAS - Venezuela’s government has announced that opposition leader and newly named Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado will be considered a “fugitive” the moment she leaves the country to attend the award ceremony in Norway.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab made the declaration on Thursday, stating that Machado is subject to multiple criminal investigations and would automatically be labeled a fugitive if she travels abroad.

“By being outside Venezuela while facing numerous criminal investigations, she is considered to be on the run,” Saab told AFP.

Serious Charges Announced

Saab accuses Machado of conspiracy, incitement of hatred and terrorism, charges the opposition leader has repeatedly denied. For years, she has been one of the most prominent voices challenging President Nicolás Maduro’s government and advocating for democratic reforms.

Despite the charges, Machado has publicly stated that she intends to travel to Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for her leadership in the struggle for democracy and human rights in Venezuela.

International Spotlight on Venezuela

Her recognition by the Nobel Committee has intensified global attention on Venezuela’s political crisis. Human rights groups and several foreign governments have condemned the criminal cases against Machado as politically motivated efforts to silence dissent.

If she travels, Machado risks immediate arrest upon her return—raising concerns among international observers about freedom of movement, due process and political persecution in Venezuela.

The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is scheduled to take place in December in Oslo.