On Sunday, a broad alliance of Norwegian groups dedicated to peace and solidarity announced a demonstration planned for Tuesday, December 9, in condemnation of the Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan far-right politician María Corina Machado. Machado has publicly called for a US military intervention against Venezuela, supports the over one thousand unilateral coercive measures imposed on the country, has played a key role in orchestrating violent and destabilizing actions, and has links to criminal drug trafficking organizations.
The Norwegian organizations condemn the award, arguing that it contradicts the spirit of Alfred Nobel’s will and legitimizes a potential US military intervention in Latin America, which would be against international law. The protest is scheduled for 5 p.m. in front of the Norwegian Nobel Institute. It marks the first time in many years that so many Norwegian groups have come together to challenge a decision by the Nobel Committee.
Gro Standnes, president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and a member of the Norwegian Peace Council, stated that an award intended to promote coexistence and dialogue cannot be given to political figures who support military actions or initiatives that violate international norms.
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“When the prize is awarded to a policy that supports military interference and actions contrary to international law, it breaks with the very purpose of the Nobel Peace Prize,” she added.
Lina Álvarez Reyes, communication advisor for the Norwegian Committee of Solidarity with Latin America, warned that US President Donald Trump openly threatened to launch a military offensive against Venezuela, violating Article 2.4 of the Charter of the United Nations, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of other states.
Álvarez warned that these threats, along with the illegal extrajudicial executions carried out by Washington in the Caribbean, endanger the civilian population, violate Venezuelan sovereignty, and increase instability throughout the continent. The US strikes have already taken the lives of 86 civilians.
“It is unacceptable that the Peace Prize be used to legitimize Trump’s illegal use of force in Latin America. US military interventions have never brought peace or prosperity to the region,” she emphasized.
During the protest, slogans such as “No to the Nobel Prize for war promoters!” and “United States: Hands off Latin America!” are expected to be prominent.
The organizations claim that Machado’s selection violates the original mandate of the prize’s creator, which states that the award should go to those who promote disarmament, peaceful conflict resolution, and fraternity between nations, not to those who support increased military confrontation.
Among the characteristics questioned by the organizations, it is highlighted that Machado supports actions that violate international law. She dedicated the award to President Donald Trump while the United States is carrying out military operations that constitute extrajudicial executions and violations of international law.
They also pointed out that the Venezuelan far-right spreads bellicose propaganda by reproducing Trump’s statements that describe the Venezuelan government as a “drug cartel” and present it as a threat to the US. However, such accusations have been refuted by US intelligence agencies, specialized international organizations, and other representatives of the Venezuelan right wing.
Norwegian Peace Council Will Not Celebrate María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize
They also criticize her support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Just days after receiving the award, Machado praised the Zionist entity’s genocidal campaign in the Palestinian territory, which has left 70,365 Palestinians dead and 171,058 wounded since October 2023. Machado’s party had also previously signed a cooperation agreement with Likud, the political party led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Machado has been heavily criticized in Venezuela, including by far-right supporters, for not questioning the xenophobic and racist migration policies promoted by the Trump administration. There is a video of an interview she gave to a US television network in which she bluntly applauded the deportation of 252 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
The migrants deported to CECOT were accused by Washington of belonging to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. Yet, after President Nicolás Maduro secured their safe return to Venezuela, none were found to have criminal records linking them to the criminal organization.
Venezuelan authorities reported in recent weeks that Machado has left the country with the intention of attending the award ceremony scheduled for December 10 in Oslo.
(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
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