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

Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola announced the winners of the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in the chamber on Thursday, following the meeting of the Conference of Presidents, which took the decision.

President 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 European Parliament stands with the people of Venezuela and with María Corina Machado and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia in their struggle for the democratic future of their country. This award is for them.”

The award ceremony for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought will take place on 18 December in Strasbourg, during Parliament’s plenary session.

Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 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.

Source of the article and further information: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20241017IPR24738/maria-corina-machado-and-edmundo-gonzalez-urrutia-awarded-2024-sakharov-prize