President Metsola presented the Sakharov Prize 2024 to Venezuela’s Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado at a ceremony on 17th of December&nbsp;in Strasbourg.

Opening the award ceremony of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024, President Metsola 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." 
 
María Corina Machado, represented in the ceremony by her daughter Ana Corina Sosa,&nbsp;was elected opposition candidate for the Venezuelan presidency on behalf of the ‘United Democratic Platform’ in 2023, before being disqualified by the government-controlled National Electoral Council. 
 
Edmundo González Urrutia, a diplomat and politician who succeeded Machado as the main opposition candidate after her disqualification, denounced the failure to publish the official results of the July 2024 presidential elections and contested Nicolás Maduro’s declared victory. He left Venezuela in September 2024, following the issuing of an arrest warrant against him, and was given refuge in Spain.

Sakharov Prize 2024

Sakharov Prize 2024 - Meeting with Venezuelan diaspora

Sakharov Youth Seminar

Civil society organisations meet with the European Parliament’s 2024 Sakharov Prize laureates and finalists

European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - Roundtable with MEPs

Award of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: statement by Ana Corina Sosa (daughter and representative of María Corina Machado), Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought - Media interviews

Sakharov Prize 2024 - Lunch

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, María Corina MACHADO, leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, Edmundo GONZALEZ URRUTIA, Venezuelan President-elect and the Venezuelan opposition movement, Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

EP Plenary session - Ceremony of the 2024 Sakharov Prize

Ceremony of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: Statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Ceremony of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: Ambience shots from the chamber prior to the ceremony

Award of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with laureates; and extracts from the ceremony

Ceremony of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: Statements by María Corina MACHADO, leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, Edmundo GONZALEZ URRUTIA, Venezuelan President-elect and the Venezuelan opposition movement, Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

Ceremony of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: Ceremony and hand over of the prize

Infoclip: Caracas (Venezuela) - Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

Infoclip: María Corina MACHADO, leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, Edmundo GONZALEZ URRUTIA, Venezuelan President-elect and the Venezuelan opposition movement Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

Award of the 2024 Sakharov Prize: statement by Edmundo González Urrutia, Venezuelan President-elect, Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

Announcement of the Sakharov Prize 2024 laureate

María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia awarded 2024 Sakharov Prize: roundtable at the Conference of Presidents and extracts from the announcement of the laureate

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2024 - Finalist: Dr Gubad IBADOGHLU, Azerbaijan

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2024 - Finalist: María Corina Machado, Edmundo González Urrutia, Venezuela

Announcement of the 3 finalists for Sakharov Prize 2024: statements by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, Barry ANDREWS (Renew, IE), DEVE Chair and Mounir SATOURI (GREENS/EFA, FR), DROI Chair

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2024 - Finalist: "Women wage peace" and "Women of the sun", Israel/Palestine

Clip: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (1988 - 2024)

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