In the first installment of our Spotlight series, the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center explores three scenarios of how the increasingly volatile situation in Venezuela may unfold. This is a particularly critical moment as the country heads toward municipal elections on December 8 with President Nicolás Maduro recently being granted emergency decree powers for one year.

Should we expect Maduro to further clamp down on the opposition ahead of the elections? How might the government respond if the opposition wins the popular vote on December 8? We look at these questions and the potential responses from the international community.

Stay tuned for future Spotlights, with each providing looking ahead at a critical issue  for Latin America and beyond and the potential scenarios for decision-makers to consider in policy formulation.