Venezuelan opposition figure Machado wins top European rights prize

The Council of Europe awarded Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize for her efforts in fighting for democracy in Venezuela under President Nicolas Maduro’s regime. Machado, currently in hiding, expressed gratitude for the recognition and dedicated it to the Venezuelan people. Her daughter Ana accepted the award on her behalf. The opposition believes their candidate won the presidential election, which Maduro claimed victory in. Previous winners of the award include Turkish activist Osman Kavala and Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.