Distinguished with the Nobel Peace Prize, Maria Corina Machado did not attend the award ceremony, her daughter receiving it instead. In Oslo, Norway Ana Corina Sosa Machado read, on behalf of his mother, the message from the leader of the Venezuelan opposition: “Venezuela will breathe again”.
“This award has a profound meaning: it reminds the world that democracy is essential for peace”, said Ana Corina, before remembering that “my mother never breaks a promise”. “And so, with all the joy in my heart, I can tell you that in just a few hours we will be able to hug her here in Oslo”, he added.
Maria Corina Machado was recognized for her “tireless work in promoting the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and for her fight to achieve a peaceful and fair transition from dictatorship to democracy”, quotes the “The Country”.Forced to live in hiding for 16 months due to restrictions imposed by the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduroits presence in the city had already been confirmed by the organizers.
“Although you will not be able to attend the ceremony or the day’s events, we are pleased to confirm that you are safe and will be with us in Oslo”, said the Nobel Institute on its portal, describing the trip as “a trip in a situation of extreme danger”.
In the speech read by her daughter, the leader of the ‘Come, Venezuela’ movement, which has been fighting against the regime in force in the country since it was still governed by Hugo Chávez, reinforces that she arrived at the pulpit for the fight “towards freedom” and dedicated the award to “political prisoners, their families and all those who defend human rights”, as well as her three children, her parents, her sisters and her husband. “To them belongs this honor. To them belongs this day. To them belongs the future.”
A future that, he hopes, includes a change of regime in Venezuela. “During these 16 months in clandestinity we have built new networks of civic pressure and disciplined disobedience, preparing ourselves for an orderly transition to democracy”, quotes the Spanish newspaper, which also reports on the way Ana Corina ended her speech – with both hands clasped on her chest, as a sign of gratitude, similar to what her mother often does.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, president of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, also commented on the situation in Venezuela, stating that the country has become a “brutal and authoritarian state, immersed in a deep humanitarian and economic crisis. Meanwhile, a small elite at the top, protected by power, weapons and impunity, gets rich”, he stated.
“Behind Maduro are Cuba, Russia, Iran, China and Hezbollah, who provide weapons, surveillance systems and means of economic survival”, guaranteed Frydes. “In the midst of this darkness there are Venezuelans who refuse to surrender. Those who keep the flame of democracy burning. Those who never give up, despite the enormous personal cost. They constantly remind us what is at stake.”
Text written by André Sousa and edited by Mafalda Ganhão