Edmundo González receives liberty award in Madrid and calls for Venezuelan elections

Venezuelan leader Edmundo González Urrutia received the ‘Defensa de la Libertad’ (Defense of Liberty) award during the third edition of the Premios Influencia Hispana in Madrid, Spain. Accepting the award with emotion, González dedicated the recognition to Venezuelans both within the country and abroad who continue to fight for their right to live in freedom.

During his speech, González emphasized that true freedom requires concrete conditions, such as the ability to express opinions without fear, organize, dissent, and hold those in power accountable. He also stressed the importance of the rule of law, stating that citizens are free only when the law protects them rather than being used as an instrument against them.

González used the platform to advocate for the necessity of presidential elections in Venezuela, describing the vote as an essential mechanism to transform individual will into collective sovereignty and to allow for non-violent political transitions. He further noted that voting alone is insufficient for a healthy democracy, highlighting the need for independent institutions, autonomous judges, freedom of expression, and the separation of powers.