Post by : Rameen Ariff

Venezuelan officials have cautioned opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado that her planned trip to Norway for the award ceremony on December 10 could label her a "fugitive." Currently hiding in Venezuela, Machado has made her desire to attend the Oslo event known.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab emphasized that Machado is facing several criminal inquiries, including accusations of conspiracy, inciting hatred, and terrorism. She is additionally scrutinized for endorsing the presence of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean, which the Venezuelan government claims is aimed at destabilizing President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.

The U.S. has deployed its largest aircraft carrier along with warships and fighter jets to the Caribbean for anti-drug operations. Machado has backed this military effort, asserting Maduro’s links to a drug cartel, while the Venezuelan authorities have termed operations against presumed drug carriers as “extrajudicial executions,” leading to at least 83 fatalities.

In a recent online address, Machado characterized Venezuela as being “on the brink of a new chapter” and reiterated her opposition to Maduro’s administration. Venezuelan officials have stressed that if Machado exits the country while under investigation, she may be deemed a fugitive and face subsequent legal repercussions.

This development has heightened tensions in Venezuela's already volatile political climate, spotlighting the ongoing strife between government forces and opposition leaders. Machado’s participation in the Nobel ceremony remains uncertain given these official warnings.

#Global