Opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia honored by European Union three months after disputed Venezuelan election.
The European Parliament has awarded the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The pair were recognized for their dedication to restoring freedom and democracy in Venezuela.
Machado, who was disqualified from running in the 2024 presidential election, and Gonzalez, who took her place as the opposition candidate, have been advocating for a peaceful transition of power in the country.
Despite the National Electoral Council declaring Nicolas Maduro as the winner with 51 percent of the vote, the opposition alleges electoral fraud and insists that Gonzalez was the true victor. This led to protests and a violent crackdown by Maduro’s government on dissenting voices.
Gonzalez, seeking refuge in foreign embassies, eventually fled to Spain where he expressed gratitude for Europe’s solidarity with Venezuela. The Sakharov Prize, named after Andrei Sakharov, recognizes individuals defending human rights and freedoms.