By Gao Yun
Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado successfully escaped from Venezuela and appeared in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday Dec. 11, after she had already missed several hours of the award ceremony honoring her.
According to Reuters, 58-year-old Machado is a Venezuelan opposition leader who had been under a travel ban imposed by the authorities for ten years. After hiding for more than a year, she secretly left the country to begin her escape.
Sources said that before arriving in Norway, she embarked on a harrowing journey. She passed through multiple military checkpoints and risked crossing the Caribbean Sea. Reports suggest that the Trump administration in the U.S. was aware in advance, and two U.S. F-18 fighter jets reportedly hovered in nearby airspace for about 40 minutes, drawing public attention.
Appearing in Oslo, emotional interaction with supporters
As customary, Nobel laureates stay at the Grand Hotel in Oslo. On Thursday morning, Machado appeared on the hotel balcony, waving to supporters and singing the Venezuelan national anthem with people present. Supporters waved flags and recorded her appearance on their phones.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
She then went into the streets, climbed over fences, and shook hands and hugged supporters who had waited in the cold night.
In an interview with the BBC, she said the journey allowed her to reunite with her children living abroad for the first time in nearly two years, leaving her emotional. She said she had not hugged anyone for more than 16 months, and being able to meet and embrace her loved ones, cry, and pray, was an indescribable experience.
10-hour perilous route, evading 10 military checkpoints
Sources revealed that Machado began her escape on Dec. 9, traveling from a hiding place in the suburbs of Caracas to a coastal fishing village, where a small boat was waiting.
During the tense 10-hour journey, she and two aides passed through 10 military checkpoints, successfully avoiding capture each time. They finally reached the Venezuelan coast before midnight and took a boat to the Dutch territory of Curacao Island, then boarded a private plane to Norway.
Pre-coordination with US military to avoid accidental attack
After reaching the coast, she rested only a few hours before departing at 5 a.m. on a simple wooden fishing boat. Strong winds and high waves made the journey extremely challenging.
The operation reportedly took about two months to prepare and was handled by a local network familiar with escape routes. Sources said the team had called the U.S. military beforehand to inform them of the passengers’ identities to prevent accidental attacks. In the past three months, over 20 boats had been struck in airstrikes, resulting in more than 80 deaths.
A source said: “We coordinated with the U.S. side to define safe zones for evacuation and ensure the boat wouldn’t be destroyed.”
It remains unclear how much the Trump administration was directly involved, but sources confirmed that the U.S. side was aware of the operation.
The U.S. Navy and the Pentagon declined to comment, and government officials denied contacting the military.
US F-18s possibly providing cover, adding mystery to the operation
Flight tracking data show that while Machado was crossing the Caribbean, two U.S. Navy F-18 jets entered the Gulf of Venezuela and hovered near the route to Curacao Island for about 40 minutes. This was the closest U.S. military activity to Venezuelan airspace since September.
Machado arrived on Curacao Island around 3 p.m. on Dec. 9. Reports say the Trump administration arranged for a contractor experienced in evacuations to meet her there.
The next morning, a private jet provided by friends in Miami took off from Curacao, refueled in Bangor, Maine, and then flew to Oslo.
Machado expresses gratitude, vows to return home
Sources said that before boarding, she recorded a voice message thanking those who risked their lives to help her escape safely. After arriving in Oslo, she participated in follow-up activities of the ceremony.
Despite the dangers of the journey, Machado emphasized in a Thursday morning hotel interview that she would return to Venezuela.
On Wednesday, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony was held in Oslo, Norway, awarding Machado in recognition of her arduous struggle for her country’s democratic transition. Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the award on her behalf.
