Venezuelan Opposition leaders awarded EU's freedom of thought prize

The Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought award is considered the European Union's highest human rights honour

The European Parliament has announced that the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will be awarded to María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia. The two are being recognised for their efforts to restore democracy and freedom in Venezuela, the committee said in a release. The announcement was made by Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Thursday, following the decision by the Conference of Presidents.

 

Lauding the two leaders, Metsola said, “The 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is awarded to María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia for their brave fight to restore freedom and democracy in Venezuela. In their quest for a fair, free, and peaceful transition of power, they have fearlessly upheld values that millions of Venezuelans and the European Parliament hold so dear: justice, democracy, and the rule of law.”

 

 

The award ceremony for the 2024 Sakharov Prize will be held on December 18, in Strasbourg, during the Parliament’s plenary session.

 

Background on the Sakharov Prize

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, is the European Union’s highest human rights honour. Established in 1988, the prize recognises individuals or organisations that champion human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Past laureates have included activists, political leaders, and organisations. Notable names include Past recipients include former South African President Nelson Mandela and late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

 

The 2023 Sakharov Prize was awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini posthumously. Amini was a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who was arrested in Tehran in September 2022 for allegedly ignoring Iran’s strict hijab laws. Amini died following physical abuse while in custody. Her death sparked widespread protests in the country led by women.

 

Past recipients of the award also include former South African President Nelson Mandela and late Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

 

María Corina Machado and Edmundo González

María Corina Machado was elected as the Venezuelan opposition’s presidential candidate in 2023 under the ‘Unity Democratic Platform’. However, Machado was barred from running by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council. Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a diplomat and politician, took her place as the Opposition candidate. After the election, González Urrutia strongly contested the government’s declaration of Nicolas Maduro’s victory, accusing the regime of withholding official election results and electoral fraud.

 

Following the election, Venezuelan authorities reportedly arrested 2,400 people during protests, with non-governmental organisations reporting the deaths of 24 individuals. Edmundo González Urrutia fled Venezuela in September after an arrest warrant was issued against him and has since been granted political asylum in Spain. María Corina Machado remains in hiding.

 

Europe recognises Gonzales as Venezuelan President

The European Parliament has been vocal in its criticism of the Venezuelan regime. In a resolution passed on September 19, 2024, the European Parliament denounced the Venezuelan presidential election, deeming it non-compliant with international standards of electoral integrity. The resolution further recognised Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate, democratically elected president of Venezuela and María Corina Machado as the leader of the country’s democratic forces. 

 

Parliament also condemned the Venezuelan government for electoral fraud and widespread human rights violations targeting Opposition figures, civil society, and demonstrators.

 

In its September 2024 resolution, the European Parliament also urged the EU to maintain sanctions against the Maduro government. It also called for further targeted sanctions through the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Nicolas Maduro and his close associates.