Santiago Muñoz Machado, president of the jury: "Populism, both right-wing and left-wing, is a major infection."

I am reporting, as is tradition at this ceremony, the general motivations of the jury that decided on the awards.

The precedents might illustrate that, even without intending to, the jury, when deciding on the Cavia, sometimes leans toward strictly literary texts and other times toward articles of political analysis . In the latter case, given the ephemeral and repetitive nature of political events, I believe we only come to consider them when the columnist illuminates some obscure corner of institutional life or presents us with a far-reaching issue of decisive influence for free societies.

This year, we had before us an article by Jorge Fernández Díaz, written in La Nación, the prestigious Argentine newspaper, which discussed populism. I don't know if all the members of the jury believe, as I do, that populism, both right-wing and left-wing, is a massive infection that is undermining the foundations of American and European democratic systems, but the fact is that there are few issues of greater general interest in our societies than these political erosions.

Jorge Fernández Díaz's article, with the erudition and poise of a great writer, explores the dissimulations, snares, and artifices with which populism presents itself in his country and the doctrinal foundations to which its methods are based. It guides our opinion in an objective and authoritative manner.

The most solid foundation for freedom of information and its constitutional protection is not its status as a subjective right to express one's ideas, but its contribution to the formation of free public opinion. Carlos Alsina practices this every morning, now, and has always done so throughout his long life as a radio broadcaster. We hear him upon awakening, as he angrily clears the weeds of information and opens up possible avenues for understanding what is happening in our country and the world. Radio journalism has not been as present as written journalism in other editions of the Luca de Tena Awards, but this year the jury was inclined to recognize Alsina's indisputable merits and thank him, like all his many listeners, for his help in helping us survive with hope.

The flood is the third theme of this year's awards. No other event has a better graphic representation than the terrible catastrophe in Valencia. It has been graphically depicted in many harrowing ways, but also with the simplicity and beauty with which a child experienced it, helping to save his sister's rag doll from the flood. This is the photograph by Txema Rodríguez, winner of the Mingote Prize.

Thank you again for the trust you place in the jury. Good night and have a great evening.