Sakharov Prize 2024 Awarded to Venezuelan Leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado
On Tuesday, President Roberta Metsola presented the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024 to Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado during a formal ceremony held in Strasbourg.
Edmundo González Urrutia’s Address to the European Parliament
Edmundo González Urrutia, a diplomat and politician who rose to prominence as the main opposition candidate following Machado’s disqualification, spoke out against the suppression of democracy in Venezuela. Criticizing the regime’s failure to release the official results of the July 2024 presidential elections, González Urrutia refuted Nicolás Maduro’s declared victory. After an arrest warrant was issued against him, he fled Venezuela in September 2024 and sought refuge in Spain.
Addressing Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), González Urrutia expressed confidence in Venezuela’s future, stating, “Sooner rather than later, our country will take a turn in a direction determined by our people. The abuse and violence of these days are merely clumsy attempts to postpone the inevitable.” He emphasized that no regime rooted in violence can endure, declaring that Venezuelans—regardless of their political affiliations—desire a future based on freedom, democracy, and mutual understanding.
The president-elect added that receiving the Sakharov Prize reinforced his commitment to dialogue and symbolized a global, united front of democrats. He concluded, “Venezuela’s fight for freedom and democracy is a fight for these values across the world.”
María Corina Machado’s Virtual Statement
María Corina Machado, who participated in the ceremony remotely, denounced the Venezuelan regime’s decades-long strategy to divide and oppress the population. “For a quarter of a century, they have attempted to divide, weaken, and subjugate us,” she said. “They preached hate to pit people against one another—rich versus poor, left against right, white against Black, and even those who stayed against those who left.”
Machado also accused the Maduro regime of systematically dismantling democratic institutions, from the judiciary to the electoral system. She condemned the severe economic mismanagement that led to historical hyperinflation and turned millions of Venezuelans into recipients of politically conditioned public aid, robbing them of dignity and hope.
However, Machado expressed optimism, highlighting the significance of the July 28 presidential elections as the starting point of an unstoppable movement for genuine change that transcends Venezuela’s borders. “We know we will succeed. Venezuela’s victory will be a victory for all humankind,” she stated, thanking the European Parliament for standing in solidarity with her country.
European Parliament’s Recognition of Democratic Leadership
In a resolution adopted on September 19, 2024, the European Parliament officially recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela’s legitimate and democratically elected president and María Corina Machado as the leader of the country’s democratic forces. The resolution also noted that international observers found the Venezuelan presidential election failed to meet international standards of electoral integrity.
Earlier in February 2024, the European Parliament urged EU member states to maintain and intensify sanctions against Maduro’s regime until it demonstrated a genuine and lasting commitment to democratic principles, the rule of law, and human rights as outlined in the Barbados Agreement.
In July 2023, the European Parliament strongly condemned the Venezuelan government’s arbitrary disqualification of opposition figures such as María Corina Machado, Leopoldo López, Henrique Capriles, and Freddy Superlano from competing in the 2024 elections.
About the Sakharov Prize
Named after the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is the European Union’s highest human rights accolade. Established in 1988, the award honors individuals or organizations dedicated to defending human rights, freedom of expression, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as safeguarding minority rights and upholding international law.
The recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado underscores the European Parliament’s solidarity with Venezuela’s democratic struggle and highlights the global importance of defending freedom and human dignity.
To view the award ceremony, visit the European Parliament’s official multimedia platform.
Leave a Reply