María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who recently won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, has revealed that the United States played a key role in helping her escape Venezuela after nearly a year in hiding. The disclosure came during her first public appearance in Oslo, where she addressed global media following her dramatic arrival in Norway.
Machado had been living in secrecy inside Venezuela, evading security forces and government surveillance after authorities intensified pressure on opposition figures. A travel ban prevented her from leaving the country legally, forcing her and her team to devise a covert plan to reach safety ahead of the Nobel ceremony.
According to Machado, the process was “long, dangerous, and filled with uncertainty,” but ultimately successful due to the cooperation of people inside Venezuela and assistance from the United States. While she declined to give operational details, she acknowledged that Washington provided critical support that allowed her to navigate a clandestine route out of the country.
Her escape reportedly included traveling across remote areas, avoiding military checkpoints, and boarding a small vessel to leave Venezuelan territory before catching an international flight to Europe. Machado described the journey as a testament to the bravery of those who protected her, insisting that the real credit belongs to the Venezuelan people who “refuse to surrender.”
The Nobel Peace Prize was accepted on her behalf by her daughter during the main ceremony, but Machado said she was determined to attend in person and use her platform to call for international solidarity with democracy advocates in Venezuela.
Despite warnings from the Maduro government and the risk of arrest, Machado said she plans to return to Venezuela. She emphasized that her fight “did not end with the Nobel Prize” and vowed to continue pushing for democratic change.
Her comments have intensified geopolitical debate, with analysts noting that U.S. involvement in her departure may strain already tense relations between Washington and Caracas. Meanwhile, supporters across the Venezuelan diaspora have celebrated her safe arrival as a major symbolic victory.
Machado reaffirmed that she intends to bring her Nobel Peace Prize “back home to the Venezuelan people,” expressing hope that the recognition will energize the country’s pro-democracy movement.
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