Just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuela announced the closure of its embassy in Oslo, Norway. The country took this step on Monday, according to the news agency AFP.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a release that Venezuela closed the embassy without providing any reason. Ministry spokesperson Cecilie Roang told AFP in an email:
“This is regrettable. Although we have differences on several issues, Norway wants to continue dialogue with Venezuela.”
By Monday evening, telephone services at the Venezuelan embassy had been shut down. The decision, taken just three days after Machado’s Nobel recognition, has sparked renewed international discussion.
In the 2024 presidential election, María Corina Machado was barred from running as an opposition candidate, and despite widespread criticism and protests, current President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner.
The day after the Nobel announcement, in a speech, Maduro referred to the 58-year-old Nobel laureate as a “demonic witch”, without mentioning her by name—a remark repeatedly broadcasted by government-supported media.
International analysts suggest that Venezuela’s diplomatic move immediately after the Nobel announcement reflects the government’s reactionary stance and discomfort under international pressure.
Norway has long acted as a mediator between the Venezuelan government and opposition. The closure of the embassy in Oslo is expected to create new tension in diplomatic relations between the two countries.