Referring to the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, and the victory of pro-Fascist Francisco Franco, the French novelist and philosopher Albert Camus wrote: "It was in Spain that men learned that one can be right and yet be beaten, that force can vanquish spirit, that there are times when courage is not its own recompense".
The defeat of rightness and the prevalence of force are phenomena that ordinary citizens in general, and opposition leaders in particular, must now endure in Venezuela. Respect of human rights was already in a pitiful state at the time of late President Hugo Chávez, but the situation has worsened further since his designated heir, Nicolás Maduro, assumed power.
The deteriorating human-rights situation in Venezuela is closely intertwined with that country's dismal economic performance. Shortages of an ever-growing number of essential goods, longer queues, and spiraling inflation (the world's highest) form part of the everyday lot of Venezuelans. Measured in dollars, Venezuela's gross domestic product has lost 56 percent of its value during the three years of Maduro's presidency.
The regime's popularity has all too naturally hit rock bottom: Polls consistently put the government's approval rating below 20 percent - a rating that bodes ill for Chavismo as the country heads toward parliamentary elections scheduled for Dec. 6.
Yet instead of correcting the economy's course, Maduro has tried to dissipate public discontent by increasing repression.
Today, scores of political prisoners are rotting in the country's jails. Independent journalists and cartoonists live under constant threat of being indicted and jailed.
The most prominent opposition leader, Leopoldo López, has been sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison on fanciful charges devoid of credibility - such as using the "art of speech" to subliminally incite to revolt. He has been confined to a 4 square meter cell and is seldom allowed to see the sunlight. His imprisonment has been condemned by renowned personalities from all over the world, including 19 former presidents of Latin American countries and Spain; the U.N. high commissioner for human rights; and Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu. Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González and the late Nelson Mandela's former lawyer, Irwin Cottler, have played an active role in the defense of Leopoldo López.
The Senates of Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, the European Parliament, the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, and Socialist International have all voiced concern for López's imprisonment and for the violation of human rights in Venezuela.
Mr. López is not the sole opposition leader who has had to confront the fury of the country's regime. Lawmaker Maria Corina Machado, who had won her parliamentary seat with great ease, was first beaten during a session of the National Assembly (the country's legislative body), and subsequently deprived of her mandate by an arbitrary decision of the president of that Assembly, former lieutenant Diosdado Cabello - seen by many as the power behind the throne in Venezuela.
Fabricated charges have been laid against former mayors Antonio Ledezma, Daniel Ceballos and Enzo Scarano, who are awaiting trial under house arrest. Other opposition figures have been barred from running in the Dec. 6 election.
Torture is practiced lavishly in the Helicoid prison and the so-called Tomb, composed of seven chambers located four floors below ground level. Acts of torture - including against Leopoldo López - have been denounced by the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, as well as by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
It should therefore beget little wonder that Venezuela's opposition forms part of the short list of candidates for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, awarded by the European Parliament and to be announced on Oct. 29.
Taken by itself, the courage of those fighting repression and enduring torture in Venezuela makes them worthy of the Sakharov Prize. A further compelling reason for granting that award to Venezuela's opposition relates to the need to counteract the deafening silence of the region's governments regarding violations of human rights in Venezuela.
Such indolence is all the more questionable as Venezuela was at the forefront of countries condemning the military dictatorships that pullulated in the region throughout the second half of the past century.
And yet, today, when Venezuela is ruled by a dysfunctional regime evolving toward a full-fledged dictatorship, the region's governments barely move a finger, or say a word, to stop the dismantlement of democracy in that country.
As stated by Santiago Canton, formerly executive secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and now at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, "the cries of pain of those tortured in The Tomb are responded to with the stony silence of our governments".
Ideological complicity and spurious financial interests explain but do not justify such a silence. Under Chavismo, oil-rich Venezuela has become a profligate purveyor of funds to friendly or subservient governments, the purpose being to prop up buddies and buy governments' support to Venezuela in international forums.
That silence makes it all the more necessary for pro-democracy institutions - not the least the European Parliament - to stand up and bring the ordeal of Venezuelans to the center of international attention.
There is a third reason why it would be opportune to grant this year's Sakharov Prize to Venezuela's opposition. As mentioned before, parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on Dec. 6, and Maduro has rejected the presence of truly independent international observers. Maduro has barefacedly said that his party would win those elections "whatever it takes." The specter of election-rigging is thus on everybody's mind.
This has led the Director for Latin America of the NGO Human Rights Watch, José Miguel Vivanco, to emphasize that "international pressure on Venezuela is needed today more than ever before".
Granting the 2015 Sakharov Prize to Venezuela's opposition would convey a clear message from the European Parliament. That message would tell Venezuelans that they are not and will not be left alone in their courageous fight for human rights, democracy, and freedom of speech.
That would be a dignifying way of exorcising the curse alluded to by Albert Camus - and of demonstrating that, in today's Venezuela, courage will have its recompense.
(AP photo)
