Espionage is nothing new for the Nobel Institute; we constantly confront it. That’s why we prioritize security, but on this occasion someone may have stolen the information, stated committee secretary Kristian Berg Harpviken.

The information emerged after local media reported anomalies in the Polymarket predictions market, where the probability of victory for Venezuelan Machado stood at 3.7 percent the day before.

That indicator shot up to 31.5 percent minutes before the announcement, according to the outlet. Analysts believe the sudden fluctuation is evidence of a deliberate leak, as no expert or media outlet had considered Machado among the favorites up until that point.

The financial publication highlighted the lack of predictions in her favor in the specialized community, which raised questions about the confidentiality mechanisms of the award’s governing body.

The Norwegian Peace Committee announced this Friday the awarding of the Nobel Prize to Machado, a right-wing Venezuelan political figure and supporter of violence in the South American nation, from a group of 338 candidates, 244 personalities, and 94 organizations.

The committee argued in its controversial ruling that the prize was given “for her tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people.”

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