SACHAROW Prize 2024: Venezuela celebrates the courage of the opposition to Maduro!

SACHAROW Prize 2024: Venezuela celebrates the courage of the opposition to Maduro!

1060 Wien, Österreich - On December 17, 2024, the Sacharov Prize for Mental Freedom was awarded in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and the Venezuelan oppositional María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia were awarded as award winners. This award recognizes its tireless commitment to restoring freedom and democracy in Venezuela, a country that is affected by severe oppression under the regime of Nicolás Maduro. Andreas Schieder, head of delegation of the SPÖ, emphasized the importance of the award winners: inside and their brave fight against authoritarian violence, the numerous people cost life and freedom. In this context, Schieder expressed: "We are at the side of the people in Venezuela who oppose authoritarianism and fight for freedom and democracy." href = "https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20241217_ots0115/spoe-schieder-gratulated-sacharow-preistraegerinnen"> OTM reported.

symbolic meaning of the Sakharov Prize

The Sakharov Prize, which is endowed with prize money of 50,000 euros and is awarded annually in December, is considered the most important EU. This year, in addition to the Venezuelan award winners: Dr. Quad İbadoğlu from Azerbaijan as well as the women's movements "Women Wage Peace" and "Women of the Sun" from Israel and Palestine, which can also be recognized for their contributions to peace and democracy. María Corina Machado, who won the democratic opposition in 2023, was arbitrarily disqualified by the government before the presidential elections in July 2024, which led to widespread repression. In the midst of political persecution and threat to her life, she was forced to go into being, while Edmundo González Urrutia was recognized as the legitimate President of Venezuela after the European Parliament confirmed its status in September 2024, as Europa.eu reported.