Today, WOLA and the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) had the pleasure of partnering with the Dialogo Social coalition to promote a half-day forum connecting Venezuelan civil society actors with members of the international community. Speakers included diverse participants across civil society, such as union leader and former political prisoner Ruben Gonzalez, members of the Inter-religious Social Forum of Venezuela, Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce President Ricardo Cusano, as well as representatives of some of the 40 independent Venezuelan civil society organizations of the Dialogo Social coalition.
The event showcased the plurality of views among Venezuelan civil society regarding the crisis and the how to advance a transition, but also highlighted important points of consensus. The clearest of these was that Venezuelans themselves must not be seen as passive actors, but rather as protagonists who are actively resisting authoritarianism and mobilizing to defend their democratic and human rights.
The full video of the event, in Spanish, is available below and on YouTube.
