OSLO/CARACAS: Norway has expressed regret after Venezuela announced the closure of its embassy in Oslo, a move that comes just days after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado—a fierce critic of President Nicolás Maduro—was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Venezuelan government, which has yet to comment directly on Machado’s win, described the decision as part of a broader “restructuring” of its foreign service. Alongside the Oslo mission, Venezuela also shut its embassy in Australia while opening new diplomatic posts in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso, nations it hailed as “strategic partners in the fight against hegemonic pressures,” according to an official statement.
Reacting to the announcement, Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced disappointment.
“It is regrettable. Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep dialogue open with Venezuela and will continue to work in this direction. The Nobel Prize is independent of the Norwegian government,” ministry spokeswoman Cecilie Roang told AFP.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which granted the Peace Prize to Machado, operates independently from the government but is appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.
Machado, 58, has long been one of Venezuela’s most prominent opposition figures. Barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election—which Maduro claimed amid widespread allegations of fraud—she has been living in hiding. Several Western nations, including the United States, have refused to recognize Maduro’s government.
During a televised speech on Sunday, President Maduro appeared to allude to Machado without naming her, calling her a “witch,” a label his administration has repeatedly used against her and other critics.
Announcing Machado’s selection, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Nobel Committee, said she 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.”
In her acceptance message, Machado dedicated the award to “the suffering people of Venezuela” and expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his “decisive support of our cause.”
The embassy closure marks another low point in Venezuela’s strained relations with European nations, underscoring the Maduro government’s growing diplomatic isolation amid ongoing human rights and democracy concerns.
