The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was honored this Tuesday, December 17th, with the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Conscience awarded by the European Parliament. In an gripping ceremony, Machado dedicated the award to the Venezuelan people and their fight for freedom and democracy in their country.
By lapatilla.com
“Thank you, thank you for honoring the Venezuelan people with this award that vindicates the memory of that great fighter like Andrés Sakharov,” said Machado, who received it together with the President-Elect Edmundo González. “This award recognizes the tireless struggle that millions of Venezuelans have waged for more than 25 years, both inside and outside our country.”
In her speech, Machado highlighted the courage and resilience of the Venezuelan people in the face of a regime that has led the nation into poverty and misery. “Venezuela, which was the most prosperous and stable democracy in Latin America, fell into the hands of a criminal regime 25 years ago,” she said. “This brave people has given endless testimonies of courage, intelligence, resilience and love.”
The opposition leader also mentioned the serious migration crisis facing Venezuela, with more than a quarter of its population forced to leave the country. “We are suffering from the worst migrant and refugee crisis on the planet,” she stressed that this situation is the result of a corrupt state and a suffocated economy.
Machado emphasized the recent wave of change in Venezuela, which goes beyond a simple electoral event. “What we achieved on July 28th, goes far beyond an election. It is a genuine cultural change, a vital desire to have our children back home, to reunite the family in our beloved land,” she said.
Finally, she sent a message of solidarity to all the prisoners and persecuted people in the world, especially those in Cuba and Nicaragua. “Our struggle shows what a deeply mistreated society can achieve when it decides to advance along the path of good,” she stated.
The Sakharov Prize is a recognition of the struggle for human rights and freedom of expression, and this year it has highlighted the importance of resistance and hope in the fight for democracy in Venezuela.