Venezuelan opposition leaders win EU's top rights prize

Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo González have won the European Union’s top human rights honor, the Sakharov Prize, European Parliament President Roberta announced on Thursday.

Roberta said, "Edmundo and Maria have continued to fight for the free, fair and peaceful transition of power and have fearlessly upheld those values that millions of Venezuelans."

The winner is chosen by senior EU lawmakers from among candidates nominated by the European Parliament’s various political groups. The assembly says the award is “the highest tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work.”