In Brussels, opposition figures Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia have been awarded the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Human Rights by the European Union, as declared by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Thursday.

President Metsola praised both leaders for their unwavering commitment to democracy in Venezuela. Although Machado was the initial candidate representing the democratic opposition in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential race, her candidacy was invalidated by the government. Consequently, González stepped in as her replacement, marking his first experience in a political campaign.

Machado’s organization asserts it possesses significant evidence indicating that González emerged victorious in the presidential elections held on July 28, significantly defeating the authoritarian incumbent, Nicolás Maduro, who has proclaimed his own victory.

The Sakharov Prize is named in honor of Andrei Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Soviet dissident. Established in 1988, the award aims to recognize and celebrate individuals or groups that bravely advocate for human rights and fundamental freedoms.