Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.
The decision, confirmed by both governments on Monday, October 13, comes amid renewed diplomatic tension between Caracas and several Western countries.
In a brief statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said the move was part of a “restructuring of its foreign service”, describing it as an effort to “defend national sovereignty and strengthen alliances with strategic partners.”
The government also announced the opening of new embassies in Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe, calling them “strategic allies in the anti-colonial fight and resistance to hegemonic pressures.”
No official link was made between the closure and Machado’s Nobel recognition. However, the timing has drawn attention, as the award has been celebrated internationally and condemned by President Nicolás Maduro’s administration.
Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the embassy’s closure in Oslo, saying Caracas had not given a reason.
“It is regrettable. Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue open with Venezuela,” said Cecilie Roang, a spokesperson for the ministry.
She added that the Nobel Committee operates independently of the Norwegian government.
Machado, aged 58, was honoured on Friday, October 10, for what the Nobel Committee described as her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.”
She has been in hiding since 2024, after being barred from contesting the previous year’s presidential election, which was won by Maduro in a widely disputed vote.
In his first public remarks after the Nobel announcement, Maduro referred to Machado as a “demonic witch”, accusing her of serving foreign interests. State media also called the prize a “political operation by the international right.”
Speaking from an undisclosed location, Machado told BBC Mundo that the award was “an injection of hope and strength for the Venezuelan people,” adding that it showed the world “had not forgotten their suffering.”
Venezuela also announced the closure of its embassy in Australia, another close U.S. ally. Both Norway and Australia handle their consular affairs in Venezuela through their embassies in Colombia.
There is also growing friction between Caracas and Washington. In recent weeks, the U.S. military destroyed four boats it said were transporting narcotics from Venezuela, killing 21 people. The Venezuelan government denounced the attacks as violations of international law.
Norway has played a key role in past negotiations between the Venezuelan government and opposition groups. The closure of the embassy is expected to limit future diplomatic contact.
This is not the first time Norway has faced diplomatic fallout over a Nobel Peace Prize. In 2010, China froze ties with Oslo after the award was given to dissident Liu Xiaobo, restoring relations only six years later.
