Venezuelan far-right politician María Corina Machado speaks at an event. Photo: File photo.
The Norwegian Peace Council announced that it will not organize this year’s traditional torchlight procession through downtown Oslo on the day the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded due to its disagreement with the choice of Venezuelan far-right politician María Corina Machado as the winner.
The organization, which brings together 17 Norwegian pacifist organizations and some 15,000 activists, declared on Friday, October 24, that it made this decision because its members “do not feel that this year’s winner is in line with the fundamental values of the Norwegian Peace Council.”
“It is a difficult but necessary decision. We have great respect for the Nobel Committee and for the Peace Prize as an institution, but as an organization, we must remain true to our principles and to the broad peace movement that we represent. We look forward to celebrating the award again in the coming years,” said its president, Eline H. Lorentzen, in a statement.
“Some of the methods [of the Nobel Committee] are not in line with our principles and values or those of our member organizations, such as promoting dialog and non-violence,” Lorentzen told the VG newspaper.
The Norwegian Peace Council is a prominent group in Norway that represents peace activists and organizations. It is different from the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which selects the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
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The functions of the Norwegian Peace Council are to disseminate principles of conflict resolution without resorting to force and to foster dialog between disputing parties. It has traditionally participated in ceremonies and commemorative events aimed at raising awareness in society and among authorities about the importance of peaceful processes. The organization operates within a framework of principles that guide its actions and its criticisms when deviations from democratic values are perceived, and it maintains its institutional independence.
Machado’s win questioned worldwide
After the jury announced its choice of the Venezuelan coup-monger María Corina Machado on October 10, prominent international figures questioned the decision.
The Argentinian human rights defender, professor, and visual artist Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980, declared in an open letter that he found the choice questionable. “In fact, I am not aware of any activity that she has undertaken on behalf of the people. On the contrary, she always asked the US to intervene with troops in Venezuela,” Esquivel remarked.
Spanish author and political scientist Juan Carlos Monedero criticized Machado’s win, saying that it is essential to change the name of the award “so as not to continue tarnishing the memory of Alfred Nobel.”
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SF
