The "Caminos de la Libertad" Pro-Freedom Organization of Grupo Salinas Presents its "Una Vida por la Libertad" Award to Former Soviet Union President Mikjail Gorbachev as Part of its Seventh Annual Essay Competition

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Salinas, through its Caminos de la Libertad pro-freedom program, is proud to announce that this year's "Una Vida por la Libertad" (A life for freedom) prize was awarded to former Soviet Union President Mikjail Gorbachev for political reform that gave economic, religious and personal freedom to millions of people.

The prize was awarded by Grupo Salinas Founder and Chairman Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego.

"Freedom is a difficult issue, a very sweet word but the road is bitter. However, I feel that as long as my heart beats and I maintain clarity of thought, we must act and continue what we started," said former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev upon receiving the award.

"A life for Freedom" (Una vida por la libertad) was awarded as part of the essay contest "Caminos de la Libertad" to recognize leaders who have dedicated their lives to defend freedom.  It was created at the behest of Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego to motivate the defense of the concept of freedom for the benefit of society. Past recipients of the award have been former President of Spain Felipe Gonzalez and Nobel Prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa.

The "Caminos de la Libertad" essay contest has grown in six years as a space that contributes to reflection on freedom, and has also taken on international importance through seminars, symposia, lectures, round-table panel discussions and through its website (www.caminosdelalibertad.com).

Since its first edition, this contest has received entries from throughout the Americas and Europe.  The current competition received 653 essays from countries that included: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Mexico, Spain, United States, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The awards were cash prizes of US$15,000 for first place, US$10,000 for second place and US$5,000 for third place. The winner of the student category received US$5,000.

WINNERS:
First place: Guillermo Rodriguez Gonzalez
Essay: "Free of envy: the legitimization of envy as moral axiom of socialism"

Second place: Martin Krause
Essay: "Freedom and poverty"

Third place: Axel Kaiser Barents Von Hohenhagen
Essay: "Liberalism: the true and the false"

Student Category.

Winner: Canek Sandoval Toledo
Essay: "The human condition: an essay on the meaning of freedom"

Honorable Mentions:

Name: Jose Benegas
Essay: "The law of the State"

Name: Thomas Joseph Chacon
Essay: "Private Property: ensuring Bolivarian freedom "

Name: Gerald Dario D'Eugenio Lora Medina
Essay: "The freedom from terror: mutation, liberal counter-terrorism and resistance in Peru"

Name: Ricardo Lopez Gottig
Essay: "The decline of individual freedom with the populist illusion"

Name: Guillermo Lousteau
Essay: "The future of freedom in Latin America"

Name: Jorge Pena Vial
Essay: "Freedom and conscientious objections"

Name: Alberto Quintero Soriano
Essay: "The loss of the unit: a pragmatic argument for rethinking freedom"

About Grupo Salinas

Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com) is a group of dynamic, fast growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating shareholder value, building the Mexican middle class, and improving society through excellence. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), Grupo Salinas operates as a management development and decision forum for the top leaders of member companies. These companies include: TV Azteca (www.tvazteca.com.mx; www.irtvazteca.com), Azteca America (www.aztecaamerica.com), Grupo Elektra (www.grupoelektra.com.mx), Banco Azteca (www.bancoazteca.com.mx), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), Advance America (www.advanceamerica.net), Seguros Azteca (www.segurosazteca.com.mx) and Grupo Iusacell (www.iusacell.com). Each of the Grupo Salinas companies operates independently, with its own management, board of directors and shareholders. Grupo Salinas has no equity holdings.

Grupo Salinas International Media Contact:

Daniel McCosh
011 52 55 1720 0059
[email protected]

SOURCE Grupo Salinas; Caminos de la Libertad

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