Nicolas Maduro; Maria Corina Machado
Venezuela on Monday announced the closure of its Norwegian embassy in Oslo, just days after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, a vocal critic of President Nicolas Maduro, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.Also Read: Who is Maria Corina Machado? Winner of 2025 Nobel Peace Prize The Venezuelan government, which has not commented on Machado’s win, described the move as part of a “restructuring” of its foreign service.As part of the changes, Caracas also closed its embassy in Australia while opening diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso, which it considers “strategic partners in the fight” against “hegemonic pressures,” according to an official statement. Norway’s foreign ministry expressed disappointment over the embassy closure. “It is regrettable. Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue open with Venezuela and will continue to work in this direction. The Nobel Prize is independent of the Norwegian government,” spokeswoman Cecilie Roang told AFP.The Nobel Peace Prize committee, which awarded Machado, is based in Oslo and is appointed by the Norwegian parliament. Machado, 58, who has been living in hiding in Venezuela, was barred from running in the 2024 presidential election, which Maduro won amid opposition protests. Several countries, including the United States, do not recognize Maduro’s government. On Sunday, without mentioning Machado’s Nobel win, Maduro referred to her as a “witch,” a term frequently used by his administration.Machado was honoured “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” said Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. She dedicated her award to the “suffering people of Venezuela” and to US President Donald Trump, praising his “decisive support of our cause.”
