Two years after Juan Guaidó claimed a mandate as interim president of Venezuela in January 2019, the country’s crisis continues and Nicolás Maduro appears more firmly in power than at any point in recent years.
Kristen Martinez-Gugerli
Kristen Martinez-Gugerli is the Venezuela Program Associate at WOLA, where she conducts research, facilitates congressional outreach, and provides support for the Venezuela program. Her main areas of interest are conflict resolution and human rights for vulnerable populations. At WOLA, she actively works to advocate for humanitarian assistance to Venezuela, the development of a peaceful and democratic resolution, and the rights of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. Ms. Martinez-Gugerli graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019 with a BPhil in International and Area Studies and Political Science and a certificate in Latin American Studies.
Episode 3: Debrief on Venezuela’s Legislative Elections
In the third episode of The Venezuela Briefing podcast, hosts Geoff Ramsey and Kristen Martinez-Gugerli had the pleasure of interviewing journalist and political analyst Jose de Bastos and international relations and legal expert Mariano de Alba.
Episode 2: The Regional Response to Venezuelan Migrants
Today, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) is publishing the second episode of The Venezuela Briefing, a new WOLA podcast that explores various aspects of Venezuela’s political, humanitarian, and migratory crises.
Is the Guaidó Coalition Fated to be a Government in Exile?
On Sunday, December 6, Venezuela held widely-questioned elections for the National Assembly, allowing the Maduro government to consolidate its power over the country’s legislature, the sole remaining democratically-elected institution in the country. While the...
Interactive Map: Degrees of Diplomatic Recognition of Guaidó and Maduro
When National Assembly President Juan Guaidó claimed a mandate as interim president in January 2019, dozens of countries moved to recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state, based on the widely-documented flaws and irregularities in the 2018 presidential election of Nicolas Maduro. As support for Guaidó grew domestically and internationally, some believed that a transition in Venezuela under Guaidó’s leadership was imminent.
Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees Face a Worsening Outlook
This year, Venezuelan migrants and refugees face unprecedented challenges and risks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, border closures, and inhumane treatment of migrants both within and outside of Venezuela. Since countries throughout the region initiated border...
Taking Stock of Chinese and Russian Relations with Venezuela
On June 28, the Maduro government celebrated 46 years of “fruitful” and “unbreakable” diplomatic relations between Venezuela and China, praising the Chinese government for its defense of Venezuelan sovereignty.
Q&A: Demystifying the Failed Silvercorp Operation
On May 3, 2020, a group of mercenaries attempted to enter Venezuela through the port city of La Guaira with stated intentions to capture de facto President Nicolás Maduro and transport him to the United States. The ambitious military raid failed immediately as Venezuelan security forces intercepted mercenaries at the border, leaving eight dead and at least 10 individuals
Venezuela’s Gendered Crisis III: Politics and Underrepresentation
Women are chronically underrepresented on Venezuela’s national political stage, both within Chavismo and the opposition. While women tend to be very politically active at the local level, comprising 72 percent of local community councils, they are often restricted to local and/or subordinate positions while men are appointed to senior offices.
Venezuela’s Gendered Crisis II: The Impact of Displacement on Women and Girls
While most of the 5 million Venezuelans who have left the country in recent years face serious challenges abroad, displaced women and girls are at a disproportionately high risk of violence and exploitation.
Venezuela Program
Geoff Ramsey
Director for Venezuela @GRamsey_LatAm
David Smilde
WOLA Senior Fellow and the Charles A. and Leo M. Favrot Professor of Human Relations at Tulane University
@dsmilde