Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Awarded 2024 Sakharov Prize for Human Rights Defense

Martin Banks
Credit: Yuri Cortez, AFP

The leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces and the opposition candidate in the July presidential elections has been awarded the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The EU Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola announced the winners of the 2024 prize in the chamber in Strasbourg on Thursday.

This follows a meeting of the Conference of Presidents which took the decision.

The award is named after Soviet political dissident Andrei Sakharov and is the EU’s highest human rights award.

Created in 1988, it is awarded every year by Parliament to individuals or organisations, in recognition of their work in one of the following areas: the defence of human rights and fundamental rights, in particular freedom of expression, the safeguarding of minority rights, respect for international law, the development of democracy and the defence of the rule of law.

Metsola said:

“The 2024 Prize 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 According to the Venezuelan government, 2 400 people were arrested during demonstrations that followed the election and non-governmental organisations have reported the deaths of 24 people. María Corina Machado remains in hiding, while Edmundo González Urrutia fled to Spain, which granted him political asylum on 7 September.

In its September 2024 resolution, Parliament called on the EU to extend sanctions against the Venezuelan regime.

The award ceremony will take place on 18 December in Strasbourg, during Parliament’s plenary session.

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Martin Banks is an experienced British-born journalist who has been covering the EU beat (and much else besides) in Brussels since 2001. Previously, he had worked for many years in regional journalism in the UK and freelanced for national titles. He has a keen interest in foreign affairs and has closely followed the workings of the European Parliament and MEPs in particular for some years.
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