President Maduro’s rival was harm as she sped on a ship by means of uneven waters in secret escape from hiding to achieve Oslo ceremony.
Printed On 16 Dec 2025
Venezuelan opposition chief Maria Corina Machado was injured as she made a clandestine sprint to gather her Nobel Peace Prize final week, her spokesperson has mentioned.
Claudia Macero mentioned late on Monday that the right-wing opposition determine fractured a vertebra throughout a uneven boat trip that had shaped a part of a dangerous cloak-and-dagger journey to achieve the Norwegian capital, Oslo, for the Nobel award ceremony.
Really helpful Tales
checklist of 4 objectsfinish of checklist
Machado has been in hiding since she was banned from operating in Venezuela’s July 24 presidential election, fearing that her life is beneath risk from long-time Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“The vertebra fracture is confirmed,” Macero informed the AFP information company, including that no additional particulars could be launched past what had been reported within the Norwegian every day Aftonbladet.
The newspaper had earlier reported that the 58-year-old Machado sustained the fracture whereas crossing the ocean in a small fishing boat battered by excessive waves.
The opposition chief was examined by medical doctors at Oslo College Hospital throughout her time within the metropolis.
Harmful sprint
Media studies in america mentioned Machado’s escape final week concerned carrying a disguise, together with a wig, and travelling from a small Venezuelan fishing village on a wood boat to the island of Curacao, earlier than boarding a non-public aircraft to Norway.
Machado has mentioned she feared for her life through the voyage, which noticed US forces located within the Caribbean alerted to keep away from a strike on the vessel.
A number of comparable boats have been attacked in latest months in a marketing campaign that the Trump administration asserts is a bid to avert drug smuggling into the US.
Maduro has accused Washington of searching for to engineer regime change within the hope of seizing Venezuela’s giant oil reserves.
The chief of the opposition Vente Venezuela occasion was trying to achieve the ceremony at which she was because of be offered with the Nobel Peace Prize.
She was introduced the winner of the distinguished award in October, with the choice committee praising her role in the country’s opposition movement and her “steadfast” help for democracy.
‘Damaged soul’
Regardless of her speedy journey, Machado failed to achieve Oslo in time for the ceremony. Her daughter obtained the award on her behalf and delivered a speech that slammed Maduro and warned of the necessity to combat for democracy.
Hours after the ceremony, early on Thursday morning, Machado greeted supporters from an Oslo resort balcony in what was her first public look in a yr.
Regardless of the fracture, she climbed over a barrier to greet supporters outdoors the resort, AFP reported.
Machado mentioned authorities in Venezuela would have tried every little thing attainable to stop her journey to Norway.
Showing set to problem Maduro within the vote, the opposition chief was barred from operating within the nation’s presidential election in July final yr.
She then introduced that she could be going into hiding inside Venezuela because of worry for her life whereas Maduro is in energy.
The Venezuelan president commented dismissively on the studies of Machado’s damage on tv on Monday.
Machado “says she has a damaged vertebra”, he mentioned. “What’s damaged is her mind and her soul as a result of she’s a demon – she hates Venezuela.”
