Vladimir Putin awarded 'Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace and Sovereignty' by Venezuela
President Nicolas Maduro awarded the prize to the Russian president as an 'ally', calling him a 'fighter for peace'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The president of Venezuela has created a new peace prize in honour of former socialist leader Hugo Chavez – and awarded it to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The award was given on the same day the annual Nobel Peace Prize was presented to Juan Manuel Santos, president of neighbouring Colombia, for his role in negotiating a peace agreement with Marxist FARC rebels.
During a televised broadcast, Prime Minister Nicolas Maduro said: “I’ve decided to create the Hugo Chavez prize for peace and the sovereignty… I think President Vladimir Putin deserves this award.”
Describing the Russian President as a “fighter for peace”, President Maduro unveiled a statue of Chavez designed by a Russian artist for the new award.
Mr Putin and future winners will receive a miniature replica of the statue.
Speaking on air, Mr Maduro said the prize would be offered to national and international figures “who have excelled in the struggle for peace,” adding that he had chosen to honour Mr Putin with the award as he is a strong ally of Venezuela.
Hundreds of thousands of people have joined pro and anti-government demonstrations in Venezuela over the past few months. The anti-government protests are led by campaigners who criticise the government for its role in the country’s failing economy.
Mr Maduro blames the problems on an “economic war,” however, which he says has been constructed by the opposition party with help from the US government.
President Putin was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, despite ordering soldiers to invade Ukraine that same year. He lost to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai, for their work against the suppression of children and young people.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments