Venezuela’s High-Stakes Legislative Elections: The December 6 Vote and What Comes Next2 min read

Venezuelans go to the polls on December 6 in the midst of great uncertainty about the future. Politics in Venezuela have become acutely polarized, with both the opposition and the government highly concerned about their prospects in the upcoming National Assembly elections. 

In this context, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and the Brookings Institution are pleased to invite you to a look at Venezuela’s political landscape on November 9, featuring: 

Introduction

John Walsh
Senior Associate
WOLA

Panelists

Javier Corrales
Dwight W. Morrow 1895 Professor of Political Science
Amherst College

Jennifer McCoy
Distinguished University Professor of Political Science
Georgia State University

Francisco Monaldi
Fellow in Latin American Energy and Policy
Rice University

David Smilde
Charles A. and Leo M. Favrot Professor of Human Relations, Tulane University
Senior Fellow, WOLA

Moderator

Harold Trinkunas
Senior Fellow and Director, Foreign Policy, Latin America Initiative
Brookings Institution

November 9, 2015
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EST
Brookings Institution
Saul/Zilkha Rooms
1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW

To RSVP, please click here. For more information, please contact the Brookings Office of Communications at events@brookings.edu or +1 (202) 797-6105.

Venezuelans go to the polls on December 6 in the midst of great uncertainty about the future. GDP is expected to contract 10 percent this year while inflation may reach 200 percent next year, consumer product scarcity is exacerbated by tumbling oil income, and domestic crime and illicit drug flows contribute to high levels of insecurity. At the same time, politics in Venezuela have become acutely polarized, with both the opposition and the government highly concerned about their prospects in the upcoming National Assembly elections: the opposition believes the electoral playing field is not level, and the government faces record low public approval ratings.

On Monday, November 9, the Brookings Institution and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) will host a discussion on Venezuela’s December 6 legislative elections and what they mean for the country’s future. The panel will include Javier Corrales of Amherst College; Jennifer McCoy of Georgia State University; Francisco Monaldi of Rice University; and David Smilde of Tulane University. Brookings Senior Fellow Harold Trinkunas will moderate the discussion, and John Walsh of WOLA will provide introductory remarks.

After the program, the panel will take audience questions.