MEXICO CITY, Oct. 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Caminos de la Libertad, a Grupo Salinas initiative to provoke reflection about freedom, generate thinking about it and create awareness among those who have not yet perceived the value of their own freedom, announced that Ricardo B. Salinas, Chairman of Grupo Salinas, presented the "Una Vida por la Libertad" freedom award to Scottish historian Niall Ferguson.
During the awards ceremony of the ninth Caminos de la Libertad essay contest, Mr. Salinas said, "Niall widely deserves this recognition for his career as a writer and firm defender of freedom. He talks about how the pillars of Western society crumble before our eyes, starting with free market which falls down by excessive regulation and taxation; democracy transforms into demagoguery; the rule of law becomes the rule of lawyers, and civil society translates into uncivil society, where we all hope that our problems are solved by someone else, especially the government."
"To achieve prosperity it is essential to take measures that preserve our economic freedom, that enhance competition conditions and the rule of law, as well as an active civil society," concluded Mr. Salinas.
Upon receiving the award, Niall Ferguson commented that "freedom should be universal, as obvious as it was for the Enlightenment thinkers that freedom was the ideal state," while lamenting that "freedom is not loved as it should be."
Caminos de la Libertad was launched in 2004 as a concept initiated by Ricardo Salinas and carried out by Sergio Sarmiento. The program invites the brightest minds in the Spanish-speaking world to think about freedom, a concept that defines human existence. To date, the program has organized hundreds of seminars, exhibitions and contests.
Felipe González, former President of Spain, Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and former President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus are past recipients of the award.
The current winners of the essay contest were selected among 643 entries from Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, the United Kingdom, Panama and the United States.
The first place award was for US$15,000; the second US$10,000; and the third place US$5,000. In the student category, the winner received US$5,000.
Winners:
| Place | Name | Essay Title (in Spanish) |
| First | Gustavo Lazzari | Alberdi y Hayek caminan Buenos Aires |
| Second | José Benegas | Quiero un Hospital |
| Third-Tie | Julio H. Cole | George Ornwee y su relevancia para el siglo XXI |
| Third-Tie | Ricardo Lopez Gottig | Prometeo desencadenado: la propiedad privada como incentivo para el progreso |
| Students | Fabián Pozo Neira | La Franquicia del Socialismo del siglo XXI |
| Recognition | Miguel Cabrera Machado | La Paradoja de la Libertad |
| Recognition | Francisco Carrillo Martin | Libertad "a pesar de todo": la palabra en los campos de concentración |
| Recognition | Julio César de León Barbero | Batalla institucional para limitar el poder y preservar la libertad |
| Recognition | Adrián Ravier | Raíces y Evolución de Liberalismo de la Escuela Austriaca |
| Recognition | Guillermo Rodríguez González | DeMünster a Kampuchea: El Marxismo como religión |
| Recognition | Martín Simonetta | La cómoda vulnerabilidad de las materias primas. El otro lado de la debilidad Institucional en América Latina |
Grupo Salinas Profile
Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com) is a group of dynamic, fast growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating shareholder value, building Mexico's 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: 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), Advance America (www.advanceamerica.net), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), 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.