Venezuelan opposition leaders awarded Europe's Sakharov Prize for democratic campaign

The European Parliament on Thursday handed its annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez for "representing the people of Venezuela fighting to restore freedom and democracy."

Venezuela held a presidential election in July, with the opposition publishing vote tallies it says show Gonzalez won a resounding victory. But the national election board declared incumbent Nicolas Maduro the winner, and Gonzalez – who is wanted by Venezuelan authorities – fled to Spain.

"Edmundo and Maria have continued to fight for the free, fair, and peaceful transition of power and have fearlessly upheld those values that millions of Venezuelans and this parliament hold so dear: justice, democracy and the rule of law," European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said.

"I'm honored to wake up to this news today," Machado said in a post on X, in which she thanked Gonzalez and the Venezuelan people. "We are indomitable and unbending to the end, and we will fight tirelessly for those values."

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"The fight isn't over," Gonzalez said. "We will keep our pledge to meet our goals until the end."

The Sakharov Prize was launched in 1988 and is awarded to individuals and organisations defending human rights and democracy.

Last year, the parliament gave the prize to Iran's Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody, and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran.