The EU Parliament honoured Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado with the Sakharov Prize 2024!

Named after Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, the 'Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought' is the EU’s highest human rights award. For almost 40 years, it has been consistenly given out to recognise individuals and organisations that distinguished themselves in the fight for human rights and, in particulary, in the fight for the freedom of expression.

In a heartfelt ceremony in Strasbourg on 17 December, EP President Roberta Metsola awarded the Sakharov Prize to Venezuela’s Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado.

María Corina Machado was elected opposition candidate for the Venezuelan presidency in the 2023 highly-contested elections, before being disqualified by the government-controlled National Electoral Council. Her daughter represented her in Strasbourg. Edmundo González Urrutia stepped in subsequently as Machado's successor and main opposition leader and opposed President Nicolás Maduro’s declared victory. After Venezualan justice issued an arrest warrant against him, he was forced to flee the country in September 2024.

President Metsola commended their fight for democracy and freedom in her awarding speech and said: "In their quest for justice, democracy and the rule of law, Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado are fearlessly upholding values that millions of Venezuelans and the European Parliament hold so dear. This award is not just a recognition but also a reminder that the fight for freedom is never in vain. The future of Venezuela belongs to its people and the European Parliament stands proudly with them."

The Lifelong Learning Platform was lucky enough to be selected among a pool of stakeholders to attend the ceremony, thanks to the support of the European Parliament.