GENEVA, February 11, 2025 — The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a cross-regional coalition of more than 30 human rights organizations, announced today that its prestigious Courage Award will this year honor Venezuelan President-Elect Edmundo González and opposition leader María Corina Machado for their inspiring leadership in struggling to restore democracy in Venezuela. By challenging Nicolás Maduro in the July 2024 presidential election, González and Machado exposed widespread electoral fraud and gave hope to millions of Venezuelans longing for change after years of political turmoil and state repression.
Put their lives on the line for democracy
Despite claims of victory by Maduro, independent data revealed that González won by a staggering two-to-one margin, a result backed by the United States, the European Parliament, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Panama and others.
Following the disputed election, González became the target of political persecution, with the Maduro regime issuing an arrest warrant against him on false charges. González has since been granted asylum in Spain, where he currently leads from exile.
This year, Maduro also continued his long campaign against Ms. Machado, kidnapping her in January at a protest. She was later released from custody following international backlash, yet remains barred from leaving the country.
“Edmundo González and María Corina Machado were chosen for their extraordinary courage in confronting Maduro’s narco-terrorist regime and inspiring a nation to fight peacefully for democracy,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of United Nations Watch, a co-organizer of the conference together with Human Rights Foundation, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and more than 25 other human rights groups.
“At a time when the Maduro regime has taken hundreds of political prisoners, violating virtually every civil liberty owed the Venezuelan people, the campaign of González and Machado gave hope to millions desperate for human dignity and freedom,” said Neuer.
Edmundo González and María Corina Machado react to award announcement
“The Geneva Summit has been a powerful voice for oppressed people around the world. Its recognition of Venezuela’s struggle reminds us that our fight for democracy is a fight for universal human rights,” said Edmundo González.
“For too long, Venezuelans have endured injustice, repression, and state-sponsored violence. This award renews my commitment to ensuring their voices are heard and their votes respected.”
“We are deeply honored to receive the Courage Award. It represents not just my and María Corina Machado’s efforts but the bravery of millions of Venezuelans who dream of a free and democratic future. Together, we will not give up,” González said.
María Corina Machado, who leads the opposition movement despite being barred from running for president last year, expressed gratitude for the recognition: “This award belongs to every Venezuelan who refuses to surrender in the face of tyranny and has suffered the repression and terror from the regime. Our fight was not just for an election but for the fundamental right to live in freedom and dignity.”
“We exposed the fraud, denounced Maduro’s oppression, and showed the world that Venezuelans will not be silenced,” Machado added. “This struggle continues until freedom, justice, and democracy are restored.
Previous laureates of the Geneva Summit Courage Award include the publication Iran International, whose reporters put their lives on the line to fearlessly report on the Islamic Regime in Iran and its human rights abuses, leading Nicaraguan opposition politician Félix Maradiaga, the late Russian opposition leader and political prisoner Alexei Navalny, Saudi dissident Raif Badawi, and Mauritanian anti-slavery campaigner Biram Dah Abeid.
About the Geneva Summit
Edmundo González will join fellow champions of human rights from around the world at this year’s Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, including dissidents, activists, victims, and relatives of political prisoners from Iran, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Tibet, Russia, Eritrea, and more who will testify on abuses in their countries. María Corina Machado, banned from leaving Venezuela, will address the summit by video.
“The Geneva Summit of Human Rights serves as a global hub for dissidents, offering a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from frontline defenders of human rights, many of whom have endured brutal arrest, incarceration and torture,” said Neuer.
Videos of past speaker testimonies are available at www.genevasummit.org.
Admission to this year’s February 18 Summit is free and open to the public, but registration is mandatory. The conference will also be available via live webcast.
Speakers are available for interviews before the event. For a full list of speakers, please see our media kit.
For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact media@genevasummit.org.
