The Mario Benedetti Foundation has awarded the 2025 International Mario Benedetti Prize for the Defense of Human Rights and Solidarity to the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese.
According to the institution, the prize is "inspired by the work and legacy" of the Uruguayan writer and is awarded to "personalities and institutions that, from different spheres, contribute to the building of a democratic and humanitarian culture." On this occasion, they valued that in an edition "marked by a context of collective pain and an ethical urgency due to the genocide facing the Palestinian people," the foundation recognized "the firm and exemplary action" of Albanese, who has become "a beacon of truth and courage," as well as "the defense of human dignity and justice" that they consider Sánchez has promoted, who during his interventions "has emphasized that peace cannot mean forgetting or impunity."
"The ethical courage of Francesca Albanese in facing international pressures and maintaining an independent voice in defense of fundamental rights, clearly denouncing what many have preferred to remain silent about," the message states. In the case of Spain, the President of the Government has made statements, but he has also taken concrete measures such as the prohibition of arms sales to Israel, the prohibition of Spanish ports being used by ships carrying weapons to Israel, and has welcomed numerous people and children, above all, to be treated in Spanish hospitals," the writer listed.
Campanella highlighted that the Administrative Council of the Mario Benedetti Foundation made the decision "by a very clear majority" and affirmed that the award "is just." She recalled, in turn, that "it has been several years now that we have been giving these prizes to personalities, institutions, and groups that have defended human rights."
"Last year it went to the Association of Mothers and Families of Detained-Disappeared Uruguayans and to the two forensic teams, the Argentine and the Uruguayan [Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF) and the Forensic Anthropology Research Group (GIAF), respectively]." On the other hand, she stated that Sánchez had the "institutional responsibility" to "promote reception and cooperation policies that reinforce the dignity of the most vulnerable": "He has backed concrete peace initiatives, urging an end to so much suffering and ensuring humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, and has taken measures to curb arms sales to Israel," the communiqué listed.
"Throughout this year, we have been sensitized to what has been happening in Gaza," said Hortensia Campanella, president of the foundation, in dialogue with La Diaria. In her words, at the time of deciding on the prize, it was "very clear" that it had to be on this topic and that Albanese "had to be singled out" because "she has been a brave voice, precisely for that reason mistreated by world powers and has been banned from entering the United States."
She reiterated that from the institution there persists "a concern that was pointed out to us by Benedetti himself regarding human rights" and that "in this case it was clear that the Gaza issue was very important and, unfortunately, continues to be so." On the other hand, she pointed out that at the institutional level there were "very few voices that pointed out this process" and that Sánchez "was one of those very few who did so" and "one of the first to speak of genocide at that level of the State," which meant "a number of insults and very negative attitudes towards Spain."
"Albanese has constantly denounced - and continues to do so - what is happening in Gaza. On other occasions, it has been to people; as in 2022 it was Joan Manuel Serrat, before that Ernesto Cardenal -the Nicaraguan poet in such tragic circumstances in his country- and also other Uruguayan personalities such as 'Belela' Herrera, Mariana Mota, and Guillermo Chifflet," she listed.
The complete list of winners can be consulted on the institution's website. From the first moment, Israel has banned her from entering Gaza, and she has denounced all of this in all possible forums. In addition to what Campanella indicated, the prize was also awarded in 2022 to the Brazilian Mundurukú tribe because "it resists with great courage the invasions of loggers"; in 2021 to the National Movement of Victims of State Crimes (Movice) of Colombia for its work of "investigation, creation of methodologies, and analysis of information on state crimes committed throughout the country"; and in 2020 to the Chilean poet Raúl Zurita, among others starting in 2013.
This year, Campanella detailed that it is not yet clear how the ceremony will be, but in the letter they clarified that the delivery of the statuette made by sculptor Octavio Podestá will take place "in the near future."
