Nobel Laureate Maria Machado Vows To Return To Venezuela: How She Escaped The Regime - 'Wore Wigs, Rode Fishing Boat'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who lived in hiding in Venezuela, travelled to Oslo in Norway to receive the honour and said that she would do her best to return to her home country to end the“tyranny”.

In a brief appearance from her hotel balcony in Oslo, Maria Machado said,“I came to receive the prize on behalf of the Venezuelan people and I will take it back to Venezuela at the correct moment.”

Machado would not say when she would return.“I will not say when that is or how it's going to be,” she commented, but added that she wanted“to end with this tyranny very soon and have a free Venezuela.”

The 58-year-old had missed the award ceremony on Wednesday, December 10.

Venezuelan authorities have said that Machado could become a“fugitive” if she travelled to Oslo to receive the prize that was awarded for her“struggle” for democracy. Also Read | Maria Corina Machado's daughter accepts Nobel Peace Prize on mother's behalf - Watch

Speaking about threats to her safety, Machado said,“Anyone who lives in Venezuela and who wants to speak the truth is in danger.”

How did she make out of Venezuela?

According to a report in AFP, Maria Corina Machado wore wigs and a disguise, dodged checkpoints to avpid arrest and arrvived in Oslo. She reportedly took three days to make it out of Venezuela and reach Norway.

Smuggled out of hiding in Caracas and across the Caribbean Sea in a fishing vessel to a waiting plane, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate finally got to Oslo and emerged to greet cheering supporters from a hotel balcony early on Thursday.

Two people assisted her escape. The three then navigated 10 military checkpoints, making a 10-hour backbreaking journey. They then set off on a dangerous journey across the Caribbean Sea to Curacao in a small open wooden fishing boat.

The US military was also made aware of her crossing the sea to avoid the boat being targeted by them.

“I want to... thank all those men and women that risked their lives so that I could be here today. One day I will be able to tell you because certainly I don't want to put them at risk right now,” she said.

Meanwhile, English business magnate Richard Branson praised her bravery for her daring escape from venezuela.

“This is her moment to openly speak about Venezuelans' desire for freedom and democracy. For the first time in 18 months, she doesn't have to fear arrest or worse. I am reminded of the concert for Venezuela we helped organise almost seven years ago in Colombia. Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans showed up for a joyful day of music and dance, hoping for a better future. Millions more are now spread around the world, waiting for the day the regime falls and Maduro steps down, so they can return to a free country. Maria Corina embodies all their hopes and aspirations. I have seen few leaders more capable of uniting and leading a nation.”

(With agency inputs)

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