The Venezuelan government has closed its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was announced as the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Venezuelan authorities stated that the decision is part of a “restructuring of the foreign service,” without directly mentioning the prize, which has sparked strong political reactions in Caracas.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the closure of the Venezuelan embassy in Oslo, describing the move as “unpleasant,” but emphasized that the Nobel Committee is independent from the Norwegian government.
The Nobel Prize was awarded to Machado for her “tireless efforts in defending the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people.” President Nicolás Maduro called the 58-year-old laureate a “malicious witch,” accusing her of conspiring with the West.
Caracas has also closed its embassy in Australia, while opening new diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso, which it described as “strategic partners in the fight against hegemonic pressures.”
This is the second similar incident for Norway since 2010, when China suspended diplomatic relations after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to dissident Liu Xiaobo.
