Venezuelan opposition leaders win Sakharov Prize

"Congratulations to María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, 2024 laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. This prize symbolizes Parliament's recognition of Machado as leader of Venezuela's democratic forces and González as its President-elect," the statement says.

At the same time, as Metsola emphasized, Machado and González represent "the people of Venezuela" both inside the country and abroad.

The EP President added that they are fighting for a free, fair, and peaceful transfer of power and are fearlessly defending the values of millions of Venezuelans.

Who are Machado and González?

María Corina Machado is a leader of the Venezuelan opposition. She was a presidential candidate in Venezuela in 2012 and also served as a member of the Venezuelan parliament.

Machado was one of the key figures in the 2014 protests against President Nicolás Maduro, playing an active opposition role.

Edmundo González was the main opponent of Nicolás Maduro in the presidential elections held in July this year.

The opposition has repeatedly claimed that Maduro falsified the election results. According to the National Electoral Council, he allegedly received 52% of the votes. However, the opposition claims that Gonzalez should have won with 67%.

Following the elections, large-scale protests erupted in the country, but they did not lead to a change in power. Meanwhile, González was granted asylum in Spain.

The Sakharov Prize has been awarded annually since 1988 to individuals and organizations defending human rights. It carries a prize of €50,000.

In 2022, the prize was awarded to the people of Ukraine, represented by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.