1ST LEAD The world must help Venezuela, Sakharov prizewinners say By Helen Maguire, dpa

Strasbourg (dpa) - Representatives of the Venezuelan opposition called upon the world to help return their country to democracy, after being given this year‘s Sakharov prize, the European Parliament‘s prestigious award for freedom of thought.Venezuela is embroiled in a deep political and economic crisis, following an attempt by President Nicolas Maduro to consolidate his power and strip the opposition-controlled National Assembly of its authority by creating a rival assembly to rewrite the country‘s constitution."Venezuela needs help and support in order to move to a democracy," Julio Borges, the leader of Venezuela‘s National Assembly, said following Wednesday‘s award ceremony.The prize is an encouragement for Venezuelans fighting for their rights, added Antonio Ledezma, the former mayor of Caracas, who fled the country after being held under house arrest. "It is a sign that we are not alone," he added.Among other things, the two opposition figures said they had asked the European Parliament to monitor elections due to take place next year, while sanctions in place against the Venezuelan regime could also be broadened."The prize is for all Venezuelans in the world," EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani said during the award ceremony, adding that it also went to the 300 people imprisoned by the regime."Human rights are being trampled on in an arbitrary and anti-democratic way," Tajani noted."It is an acknowledgement for mothers denying themselves food to save their children, for children rummaging through the rubbish to stave their hunger," Borges said."I cannot be happy to receive this prize while I know that in the dungeons of Venezuela there are people being unfairly deprived of their freedom," Ledezma told EU lawmakers.The award should be "turned into flowers" for the tombs of young Venezuelans who had died during protests in the streets of Caracas, he added.The annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was established in 1988 by the European Union‘s legislature. It is awarded to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the fight for human rights across the globe.The first person ever to be awarded the 50,000-euro (58,717-dollar) prize was South Africa‘s Nelson Mandela, and previous winners include survivors of sexual enslavement by Islamic State and Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.