Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado has pledged to return to Venezuela “at the right moment” to continue her fight against what she called the country’s “tyranny,” after dramatically resurfacing in Oslo on Thursday following nearly a year in hiding.

Machado, who disappeared in January after challenging President Nicolás Maduro’s rule, stunned supporters when she appeared just after midnight on a balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo. Waving and blowing kisses, she was greeted with chants of “libertad” as she later stepped down to embrace cheering Venezuelans who had gathered outside.

At a press conference, Machado expressed gratitude to those who “risked their lives” to help her escape Venezuela, though she declined to reveal how she travelled to Norway or how she plans to return. Caracas has warned she would be treated as a fugitive if she leaves the country.

“I came to receive the prize on behalf of the Venezuelan people, and I will take it back to Venezuela at the correct moment,” Machado said. “I will not say when or how, but I want to end this tyranny very soon and have a free Venezuela.”

In an interview with the BBC, Machado acknowledged the dangers ahead: “I know exactly the risks I’m taking… I’ll be wherever I’m most useful for our cause.”

She described the emotional toll of living in hiding, revealing she had missed her children’s milestones, including graduations and weddings. “For over 16 months I haven’t been able to hug or touch anyone,” she said. “In a few hours I’ve been able to see those I love most and pray together.”

The Nobel Institute confirmed that Machado undertook a journey of “extreme danger” to attend the ceremony. She was awarded the Peace Prize for her “struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

Machado has accused Maduro of stealing the July 2024 election—a claim supported by much of the international community. She has remained largely out of sight since January 9, when she joined protests in Caracas against Maduro’s inauguration for a third term.

Analysts warn that her decision to travel to Oslo carries significant political risks.

In her acceptance speech—read by her daughter—Machado condemned what she called “state terrorism,” accusing Maduro’s government of kidnappings, torture, and other “crimes against humanity.”

While widely praised for defending democracy, Machado also faces criticism for her close alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump, to whom she dedicated her Nobel Prize. She has supported recent U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, which Washington says target drug-smuggling vessels but which Caracas claims are attempts to topple Maduro and seize Venezuela’s oil.

Late Wednesday, Trump announced the U.S. had seized a “very large” oil tanker near Venezuela, prompting the Maduro government to denounce the move as “blatant theft.”

For now, Machado remains in Norway, weighing her next move. “The place I believe I have to be today, on behalf of our cause, is Oslo,” she said. “But Venezuela is my home—and I will return.”