He Center for Political and Government Studies (CEPyG) of the Andrés Bello Catholic University (Ucab) delivered this Tuesday the “Father Francisco José Virtuoso SJ” Democratic Values Award in its 2026 edition.
The award, which has been awarded since 2018, recognizes the trajectory of people and institutions that promote the rule of law, plurality, individual rights and democracy in Venezuela and is named after the former rector of the UCAB, who died in 2022, in tribute to his commitment to democratic reconstruction.
The event took place at the CEPyG UCAB headquarters in Caracas. The rector Arturo Peraza SJ and the director of the CEPyG, Ángel Oropeza, They led the ceremony. Oropeza highlighted that “this is the democracy that we reward today: the one that does not ask permission, the one that becomes flesh in everyday life, the one that resists without guns, only with truth and dignity.” Peraza pointed out that the country is experiencing a new moment and that society must mark the step towards the transition.
The winners
In the category Democratic Integritywhich rewards sustained careers and tangible contributions to democratic strengthening, the historian received the recognition Elías Pino Iturrieta, Cardinal Baltazar Porras and the Committee of Relatives of the Victims of the events of February and March 1989 (Cofavic).
Cofavic, with 37 years of work in defense of victims, dedicated the award to those who are committed to truth and justice. Its co-founder Yris Medina stated: “At Cofavic we believe in justice as an inalienable right. And we believe in reparation as a necessary condition for reconciliation and non-repetition.”
In the category Freedom of Thoughtwhich distinguishes work in research, dissemination and defense of democratic ideals, was awarded to Cocuyo Effect and the philosopher Rafael Tomás Caldera.
Josefina Ruggiero, director offecto Cocuyo, received the award on behalf of the team and said that they received the recognition as a commitment to the memory of Father Virtuoso, who always defended truth and freedom, both “luminous principles that have been and continue to be a beacon offecto Cocuyo.”
“We understand that democracy does not survive without the truth, and that the truth loses its purpose if it does not lead us to freedom,” he stated, and recalled that a society without access to free, independent and responsible information is “a chained society”, because without it “there are no decisions, one does not vote with knowledge, one does not demand freely and one cannot be the protagonist of one’s own destiny.”
The journalist emphasized that “the free press is not a luxury of consolidated democracies; it is the necessary condition for democracy to exist.” In the case of Venezuela, he pointed out that this condition continues to be “a vital emergency.”
Ruggiero recalled the challenges that Effect Cocuyo has faced for more than a decade: minimal resources, constant pressures and moments of darkness in which “we almost gave up.” However, they insisted on moving forward because they believe that “any real change is born from a society that knows the truth, demands it and acts accordingly” and specified that their colleagues Luz Mely Reyes and Laura Weffer were not present to receive the award because they are in exile.
Reporting in Venezuela, he said, “has been, and continues to be, an act of resistance and, above all, of hope.”
As Makers of Democracya, category for initiatives of high citizen impact, received the award Rafael Araujo Jerezknown as “the Lord of the Parrot”, for his peaceful and creative activism in the streets with messages of resistance, and the Committee of Political Prisoners in Venezuela (Clippve).
Hiowanka Ávila, sister of a political prisoner, read the Clippve speech: “This is a recognition of their resistance. An award for mothers, family, friends, defenders, activists and citizens who have been victims of political repression in Venezuela and who continue to fight for democracy and respect for human rights.”
The committee recalled that there are still more than 600 political prisoners and that the greatest prize will be full justice.
The award highlights the role of civil society in times of challenges to freedoms and human rights in Venezuela. The winners agreed that the recognition strengthens their commitment to truth, memory and democratic construction.
