Discussion with María Corina Machado and Edmundo González
The leaders of the democratic opposition in Venezuela, María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, take part of a debate with European Parliament’s foreign affairs and development committee and the subcommittee on human rights.
On 17 December, Parliament will hand its most important human rights award – the Sakharov Prize – to Machado and González, in recognition of all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting to restore freedom and democracy in the South American country.
Machado won primary elections in 2023 to run as the candidate of the democratic opposition in the 2024 presidential elections, but after she was arbitrarily disqualified by the Venezuelan regime, González became the candidate. González Urrutia left the country in September after a warrant was issued to arrest him. Facing persecution, Machado went into hiding.
The European Parliament recognised González as the legitimate president of Venezuela in a resolution in September 2024. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240913IPR23907/venezuela-meps-recognise-edmundo-gonzalez-as-president
Learn more about the Sakharov Prize here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/topic/sakharov-prize
