Strasbourg, , Oct 24 (EFE).- Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado were awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on Thursday.
It is the second time that Venezuela’s democratic opposition has been given the European Union’s highest honor in the field of human rights.
In a statement to EFE from an undisclosed location in Caracas, Corina Machado said she was dedicating the award to Venezuelans “persecuted by tyranny.”
“It is a recognition to the indomitable, unbendable people of Venezuela, who are going to fight for these values until the end (…) together, all Venezuelans are going to liberate Venezuela and make sure that never again in our history will a Venezuelan be a prisoner of conscience or persecuted for their ideas,” she said.
Machado was referring to the 1,936 political prisoners in the country, most of whom were detained after elections in July which the opposition and international observers said were fraudulent.
The Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro – in power since he succeeded his mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013 – denounced the allegations of electoral fraud as a “coup d’etat.”
Announcing the winners, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said the Venezuelan opposition leaders “have continued to fight for the free, fair and peaceful transition of power and have fearlessly upheld those values that millions of Venezuelans and this parliament hold so dear: justice, democracy, and the rule of law.”
Metsola said that the parliament “stands with” the Venezuelan people, the two laureates and “their struggle for the democratic future of their country.”
“We are confident that Venezuela and democracy will ultimately prevail,” the Maltese politician said.
Metsola also recognised the other finalists for the award: two initiatives by Israeli and Palestinian women advocating for peace in the Middle East, and an academic and anti-corruption activist from Azerbaijan.
The first time the Venezuelan opposition won the prize was in 2017, when the opposition National Assembly and Venezuelan political prisoners were honored.
The award ceremony will take place at the plenary session of the European Parliament on December 18 in Strasbourg. EFE
lzu/ks
