In view of media comment around the Atlantic Council’s Venezuela work, Jason Marczak, Director, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, Atlantic Council made the following comments:

“Around the world, the Atlantic Council puts forward policy ideas that help influential actors navigate political and economic change so we can live in a more secure and prosperous world. The deteriorating situation in Venezuela is of great concern.

That is why the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center follows the Venezuelan crisis very closely and seeks to contribute toward a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Venezuela. Given the gravity of the situation, we have stepped up our analysis and events—all of which seek to encourage a peaceful solution and engage stakeholders who can influence resolution of the worsening crisis.

Through our work, we seek to engage a broader section of the international community to help improve the lives of the Venezuelan people and contribute to advancing the democratic process in Venezuela. Members of the Venezuelan opposition are not recipients of Atlantic Council funding, nor is the Atlantic Council providing support to negotiators in the Dominican Republic.

Our analysis and programs aim to create forward momentum at a time when the domestic conditions are getting worse by the day. A way forward for Venezuela requires a common understanding between its citizens, and we hope—through our international research and analysis—to put forward a path for greater consensus that would serve the opposition and Venezuelan society at large. That is why, among our many independent activities, we collaborated in a session on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela at a summit on the sidelines of the recent UN General Assembly, for example. 

Whether on Venezuela or any other issue, the Council receives funding from a variety of sources, including the private sector, foundations, multilateral institutions, and the public sector. Our Venezuela work is, in part, supported by State Department funding – and the Atlantic Council overall has historically received funding from the US government, among other sources. In all of these cases, we adhere to a strict intellectual independence clause with our funders.”