Venezuela closes embassy in Oslo 'without justification', Norway says

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - The Venezuelan Embassy in Oslo has been closed, Norway's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday.

"We have received information from the Venezuelan embassy that they are closing the embassy, ​​without justification. This is regrettable," Cecilie Roang, press contact at the ministry, told public broadcaster NRK.

The reason for the closure remains unclear. Members of the Venezuelan community in Norway said they had not been informed of the decision.

"It is very regrettable. We have not received any information. We do not know what is happening. No one is answering the phone," Maylem Lauvstad, a board member of the Venezuelan Association in Norway, said.

The move comes after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last week, a development that drew sharp criticism from Caracas.

According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1901. The other Nobel prizes are handled by Swedish committees.