Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Oslo, which follows the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to opposition leader María Corina Machado. While the Venezuelan government issued a statement regarding a restructuring of its foreign service, it did not address Machado’s accolade directly. Norway’s foreign ministry confirmed the closure without providing further specifics.
The Nobel Committee honored Machado for her dedication to advocating democratic rights in Venezuela. Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro criticized her publicly, calling her a “demonic witch.” The Norwegian foreign ministry expressed regret over the embassy closure, emphasizing its desire to maintain dialogue with Venezuela despite existing differences. A spokeswoman noted that the Nobel Prize’s awarding is independent of the Norwegian government.
Machado has been a prominent critic of Maduro’s authority, which many international observers consider illegitimate after his 12 years in power. Notably, Venezuela has also closed its embassy in Australia while simultaneously opening diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso, referring to these countries as strategic partners.
In recognition of Machado’s achievements, Nobel chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes highlighted her role as a unifying figure amid a fractured opposition in Venezuela, a nation currently facing humanitarian and economic crises. Machado described her award as energizing for her political movement, instilling hope among Venezuelans.
The closure of embassies in the context of deteriorating relations with allies like the United States comes after new tensions, particularly surrounding U.S. military actions targeting drug trafficking from Venezuela. The U.S. has destroyed several boats carrying narcotics, an operation fraught with controversy and international legal implications. Historically, conflicts over Nobel Prize awards have previously strained Norway’s diplomatic ties, as seen in its relationship with China following the 2010 award to Liu Xiaobo.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjwlxjn1xgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss