Mulino Meets with the Family of María Corina Machado in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony

Oslo, Norway: The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, arrived this Monday in Oslo, Norway, to accompany the Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado, who will receive the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, the Presidency of Panama reported.  During this international event, Mulino will be received by King Harald V, in an audience that will also include Presidents Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), Santiago Peña (Paraguay) and Javier Milei (Argentina) , who will also attend the ceremony.  The Panamanian president is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on Wednesday with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store , with the aim of strengthening diplomatic and trade relations between the two nations.

Meeting with the Family of María Corina Machado

In an initial meeting, the president met with Machado’s mother and sister, to whom he reiterated Panama’s support in the process of restoring Venezuelan democracy.

“I am thrilled. We will not back down an inch until the elected government of Venezuela takes the reins of power because that is what the people of Venezuela wanted, and we have those records in Panama to confirm that overwhelming victory of Mr. Edmundo and María Corina and all Venezuelan democrats,” he said.

Mulino recalled that he considers Machado ” a friend” and said he was willing to offer his full support “in the coming stage, which is a stage of reconstruction for Venezuela.”  Meanwhile, her mother recalled that she was often afraid of losing her daughter, since the way she fought meant that an attempt on her life could succeed, and despite being exposed so many times, she continued with her mission.

“God is rewarding me with this great prize, not only the Nobel, but also the work my daughter has done in Venezuela and for all the democratic countries in the region and the world. Panama is the most important, Panama is first,” said the mother of the Venezuelan leader. His sister also thanked all the people and leaders of the world for their support, especially President Mulino, whom she said “has been key in this whole process.”  “Without the solidarity of brother countries and upstanding men committed to democratic causes like President Mulino, we would not be here today,” she stressed.

During his visit, Mulino is accompanied by his wife and First Lady of the Republic, Maricel Cohen de Mulino, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Martínez Acha. According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the prize is awarded to individuals who stand out for their courage, unwavering principles, and commitment to peace.  The Presidency stated in recent days that, this year, the organization selected Machado for her “tireless work in promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy”.  The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious international awards. It is awarded annually to individuals, organizations, or movements that have made outstanding contributions to peace, whether by resolving conflicts, promoting human rights, working for disarmament, or fostering dialogue between peoples and nations.

Machado Supports Trump’s Strategy in the Caribbean

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado accused Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday of declaring war on her people and supported the US military deployment in the region.  US President Donald Trump has mobilized warships, fighter jets, thousands of soldiers in the Caribbean, and is awaiting the arrival of the world’s largest aircraft carrier for anti-drug trafficking operations; although Maduro claims the objective is his overthrow.  “Maduro is not a legitimate head of state. He is the leader of a narco-terrorist structure and has declared war against the Venezuelan people and the democracies of the region,” Machado said during a business forum held in Miami, Florida, in which she participated via video call. 

“Maduro started this war and President Trump is ending it,” added the opposition leader, who described the US strategy as “absolutely correct.”  According to Machado, the structures led by Maduro are financed by drug, arms, and human trafficking and she asserted that the Trump administration, its main ally, is cutting off these sources of income with its recent attacks, in which dozens of people have died in recent weeks.  At least 67 people died in bombings of suspected drug boats as part of these operations in the region.  US attacks in the Caribbean have increased pressure on the Maduro government, which Washington accuses of being a drug trafficker and of having stolen the July 2024 presidential elections from the opposition. 

The deployment of US warships in the Caribbean and the authorization of CIA operations against Venezuela led the president of the South American country to denounce that the Republican administration seeks regime change.  In a CBS interview broadcast on Sunday, Trump asserted that Maduro’s days as president are numbered, although he downplayed the risk of a war between the United States and Venezuela.  Machado has been in hiding since she denounced fraud in the 2024 elections, in which Maduro was again proclaimed president.  During her speech at the America Business Forum in Miami, the opposition leader promised to transform Venezuela from the “criminal center of the Americas” into an “energy hub” on the continent. She also said she would open the country to foreign investment and noted that the Caribbean nation has the world’s largest oil reserves.