Nobel winner Machado suffered vertebra fracture leaving Venezuela

Oslo: Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado suffered a vertebra fracture during her secret journey from Venezuela to Norway last week, her spokesperson said Monday.

Machado previously said she feared for her life during the perilous voyage to receive her award in Oslo.

Norwegian daily Aftenposten said the injury was sustained during a high-risk sea crossing in a small fishing boat battered by high waves.

“The vertebra fracture is confirmed,” Machado’s spokeswoman Claudia Macera said.

“For the moment, no additional information will be disclosed other than what is in the (Aftenposten) article,” she said.

The newspaper said Machado had been examined by doctors at the Oslo University Hospital in Ulleval.

After arriving in Oslo in the early hours of Thursday morning, the 58-year-old had on several occasions said she wanted to see a doctor, without providing any medical details.

She had been due to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in the Norwegian capital on Wednesday, but was delayed and did not make it in time.

Her fracture did not stop her from climbing over a barrier to greet supporters outside her hotel shortly after her arrival.