Venezuela Announces Closure of Embassies in Norway and Australia

 International Desk | PNN

Venezuela has announced that it will close its embassies in Norway and Australia, just a week after opposition leader María Karina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

A spokesperson for Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Reuters that Venezuela did not specify the reasons for closing its embassies, but the decision was made on Monday. The spokesperson added, “This is unfortunate. Despite our differences on various issues, Norway wishes to continue dialogue with Venezuela and will work in that direction.”

The ministry also stated that the Nobel Committee independently announced the award and that the Norwegian government was in no way involved.

María Karina Machado, who has been in hiding since 2024, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for being “an extraordinary example of civic courage in Latin America in recent times.” She dedicated her award to U.S. President Donald Trump and “the suffering people of Venezuela.”

Venezuela has not only decided to close its embassies in Norway and Australia but also plans to open two new embassies in Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe, describing them as “strategic allies in anti-colonial struggle and resistance against hegemonic pressure.”

With no embassies in Norway or Australia, consular services are currently being handled from their embassy in Colombia.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of attempting to change his country’s regime and has called on the United Nations Security Council to take action on the matter.