8 h. ago Putin phones Venezuelan president to offer Russia's support after Trump seizes oil tanker off coast

Putin called Maduro a day after United States forces seized control of an oil tanker in Venezuela as part of an escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and Maduro's government.

Politics

23 h. ago Venezuelan Nobel laureate reunited with family after perilous journey to receive prize

María Corina Machado thanks those who risked their lives to help her make trip to Oslo and says she is hopeful ‘Venezuela will be free’Europe live – latest updatesVenezuela’s best-known opposition leader, the Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado, said her arrival in Oslo marked a “historic turning point” that showed Venezuelans “the world is with them”.Machado, who was forced into hiding in Venezuela by the country’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, slipped out of her authoritarian homeland by boat in order to travel to Norway to collect her prize. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Venezuela's Machado says Maduro government didn't know where she was hiding

Opposition leader María Corina Machado says she doesn’t believe the Venezuelan government knew where she was hiding for most of this year

Politics

27 h. ago Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado appears in Norway after dramatic escape from Venezuela

Machado made a daring escape from Venezuela by boat and travelled to the Caribbean island of Curacao, from where she departed on a private plane for Norway

Events

31 h. ago After months in hiding, Venezuelan opposition leader Machado reappears as a Nobel laureate

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has appeared in public for the first time in 11 months

Politics

31 h. ago Venezuela decries ‘act of piracy’ after US forces seize oil tanker off country’s coast

Footage uploaded to X by US attorney general shows its forces landing on the tanker in major escalation of Trump’s pressure campaignUS politics live – latest updatesUS forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in a major escalation of Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign against the South American country’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro, whose government called the seizure “an act of international piracy”.Trump confirmed the operation on Wednesday, saying: “We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela – a large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized actually.” Continue reading...

Events

32 h. ago Venezuelan Nobel peace prize winner greets crowds in Oslo after nearly a year in hiding

María Corina Machado climbs over barriers to meet chanting supporters gathered outside the Grand Hotel in early hours of ThursdayVenezuela’s best-known opposition leader, the Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado, has made a dramatic appearance in Norway after slipping out of her authoritarian homeland by boat.The Venezuelan politician and pro-democracy activist stepped out on to the balcony of Oslo’s iconic Grand Hotel at just before 2.30am local time, after spending the past 11 months in hiding in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Venezuela's Machado absent from Nobel ceremony but her travel to Oslo draws mixed reactions at home

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was absent from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Norway on Wednesday

Politics

45 h. ago Venezuelan Nobel peace prize winner misses ceremony but vows to continue struggle

Daughter delivers speech, with Nobel Institute saying María Corina Machado still expected in Oslo after journey of ‘extreme danger’ Europe live – latest updatesVenezuela’s most prominent opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has vowed to continue her struggle to free the country from years of “obscene corruption”, “brutal dictatorship” and “despair” as she was awarded the Nobel peace prize at a ceremony in Norway’s capital, Oslo.The 58-year-old conservative has lived in hiding in Venezuela since its authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, was accused of stealing the 2024 presidential election from her political movement. Despite fevered speculation that she would make a dramatic appearance at Wednesday’s event, having somehow slipped out of Venezuela, Machado was not present, although she was expected to arrive in Oslo in the coming hours. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago Freedom Manifesto: Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado’s vision for Venezuela’s future in full

The Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner has laid down an outline for a democratic future, Maira Butt writes

Politics

47 h. ago María Corina Machado ‘safe’ and ‘will be’ in Oslo, Nobel committee says, but will miss peace prize ceremony – Europe live

Peace prize winner Machado has been seen only once in public since going into hiding in August last year Meanwhile, we are getting a line from France, with the government spokesperson confirming that the Coalition of the Willing will meet on Thursday virtually to discuss the next steps on Ukraine.The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is “safe” and “will be” in Oslo after “a journey in a situation of extreme danger,” although she will not attend the Nobel peace prize ceremony this afternoon, organisers have said. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago Venezuelan Nobel peace prize winner will not attend ceremony, say organisers

Opposition leader María Corina Machado’s daughter to receive award on her behalf in Oslo, says Nobel InstituteThe Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado will not attend the Nobel peace prize ceremony and the award will be accepted by her daughter, organisers have said.Machado has been seen only once in public since going into hiding in August last year amid a tense showdown with the president, Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s attorney general has said Machado, 58, would be considered a “fugitive” if she left the country to accept the award. Continue reading...

Politics

66 h. ago Oslo appearance by Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado cancelled

Press conference was expected to have been Venezuelan opposition leader’s first public appearance in 11 monthsA press conference in Oslo with the Nobel peace prize laureate María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader in hiding, has been cancelled, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has said, adding that it was “in the dark” as to her whereabouts.Machado last appeared in public on 9 January at a demonstration in Caracas protesting against the inauguration of Nicolás Maduro for his third term as president. The press conference, traditionally held by the Nobel laureate on the eve of the award ceremony, had been expected to be the 58-year-old’s first public appearance in 11 months. Continue reading...

Politics

67 h. ago Venezuelan opposition leader's news conference called off a day before Nobel Peace Prize ceremony

A planned news conference on Tuesday by Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has been canceled after a several-hour delay, a day before the award ceremony in Oslo

Politics

2 d. ago Oslo appearance by Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado delayed

Press conference expected to go ahead later, Venezuelan opposition leader’s first public appearance in 11 monthsA press conference in Oslo with the Nobel peace prize laureate María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader in hiding, has been postponed but should take place later in the day, the Norwegian Nobel Institute has said.The press conference, traditionally held by the Nobel laureate on the eve of the award ceremony, is expected to be the 58-year-old’s first public appearance in 11 months. Machado last appeared in public on 9 January at a demonstration in Caracas protesting against the inauguration of Nicolás Maduro for his third term as president. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Donald Trump awarded controversial Fifa Peace Prize by Gianni Infantino at World Cup 2026 draw

The US president, who was beaten to the Nobel Peace Prize by Venezuelan democracy campaigner Maria Corina Machado, was presented with Fifa’s hastily arranged new award

Politics

2 w. ago US reportedly to launch new phase of operations against Venezuela – US politics live

Trump administration labels Maduro as member of foreign terrorist organization and could impose fresh sanctions on countryTrump has been escalating pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and has now labelled him and government allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization.That designation is another step towards criminalizing Maduro – analysts say it could pressure Maduro into stepping down with the threat of military force.The US and Ukraine say they have made progress in talks on ending the war with Russia, with Marco Rubio announcing amendments to a “refined” draft agreement.However Donald Trump has lashed out at Ukraine’s leadership, saying Kyiv has shown “zero gratitude”.His administration has also designated Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, as a member of a foreign terrorist organisation, which could allow for the hit of new sanctions. Reports also emerged on the weekend that the US military could be set to move into a new phase of operations in the Car...

Politics

3 w. ago Venezuela’s top opposition leader claims ‘new era’ is coming despite lack of clear plan

María Corina Machado pens a ‘freedom manifesto’ as plan to force Nicolás Maduro from power remains unclearVenezuela’s top opposition leader, the Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, has declared her country “at the edge of a new era” as Donald Trump refused to rule out a ground invasion to topple its authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, but also signalled he was open to talks.Machado, who has lived in hiding since her movement’s candidate was widely believed to have beaten Maduro in last year’s presidential election, made her claim in a “freedom manifesto” that was published on Tuesday as uncertainty continued to shroud the South American country’s future. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago US will label supposed Venezuelan drug cartel ‘headed by Maduro’ as terrorist organization

Experts believe decision is designed to pressure Venezuela’s leader into stepping down with threat of military forceIs US preparing to attack Venezuela and how has Maduro regime responded?The US has said it will designate a putative Venezuelan drug cartel allegedly led by Nicolás Maduro as a foreign terrorist organization, as the Trump administration sent more mixed messages over its crusade against Venezuela’s authoritarian leader.The move to target the already proscribed group, the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), was announced by Marco Rubio on Sunday. “Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated FTOs as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe,” the US secretary of state tweeted, generating excitement among hardline adversaries of Maduro who interpreted the announcement as proof Washington was preparin...

Events