Norway rebuked for Machado’s Nobel win, Maduro shuts embassy in Oslo
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said on Instagram that the embassy closure was part of an internal “reorganization” of its diplomatic missions
CARACAS, Venezuela (MNTV) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the closure of his country’s embassy in Norway following the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, in what appears to be a direct rebuke of Oslo’s recognition of her struggle for democracy.
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said on Instagram that the embassy closure was part of an internal “reorganization” of its diplomatic missions. It also announced the closure of the Venezuelan embassy in Australia, citing the country’s “geopolitical principles” of “peace and integration.”
Norway has played a central role in mediating talks between Maduro’s government and Venezuela’s opposition. Its efforts included years of on-and-off negotiations between 2019 and 2024 that culminated in the failed Barbados Agreement. The decision to shutter the embassy in Oslo signals a likely end to diplomatic communication with Norway for the foreseeable future.
Machado’s Nobel recognition comes amid deepening political isolation for Maduro, whose 2024 re-election was widely condemned as fraudulent by international observers. The award has also coincided with renewed US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of running a drug cartel.
The Nobel Peace Prize is chosen by an independent committee appointed by Norway’s parliament and does not reflect the country’s foreign policy. However, Caracas’s move underscores the growing tension between the Maduro government and the West.
In addition to the embassy closures, Venezuela said it will open new diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso “to strengthen ties with the Global South.”
Maduro’s government has also sought backing from neighboring countries. While Brazil and Colombia criticized US pressure tactics, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago endorsed Washington’s latest deployment in the region.
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