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The Venezuela Working Group

The Venezuela Working Group (VWG) is a high-level group that informs policymakers in the United States, Europe, and Latin America on how to advance a long-term vision and action-oriented policies to foster democratic stability in Venezuela. The Venezuela Working Group seeks to promote the restoration of democratic institutions in Venezuela.

VWG members draw from their diverse backgrounds, global networks, and deep expertise to tackle the most challenging issues around Venezuela policy, both at the domestic and international levels. Priority issues for the VWG’s 2021 work include: supporting Venezuela’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts; assessing risks and opportunities around upcoming regional elections; and exploring non-traditional mechanisms for effectively mitigating Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis.

Content

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Mar 5, 2020

Venezuelan women: The unseen victims of the humanitarian crisis

By Angela Chavez

Although gender inequality is not a novel issue in Latin America and especially not in Venezuela, the current humanitarian crisis has made women more vulnerable financially, politically, and socially, and made sexual violence and discrimination commonplace. According to a recent report by Venezuelan non-profit organization Center for Peace and Justice (CEPAZ), the crisis has increased women’s vulnerability through the lack of governance and weakened institutions, impoverishment, lack of access to food and medicine, and the rising forced migration, among other factors.

Migration Venezuela
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#AlertaVenezuela

Mar 3, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: March 3, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Fringe outlets that reported on an attack on a Juan Guaidó rally in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, received more engagement on social media than traditional and trustworthy outlets that wrote about the same topic.

Disinformation Venezuela
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Feb 25, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 25, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

William Castillo, as vice minister of international communications, is one of the most prominent authorities in the Maduro regime’s Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs. Castillo has attacked journalists online for allegedly publishing “fake news,” despite the fact that he has repeatedly published false claims on Twitter.

Disinformation Venezuela
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Feb 18, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 18, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

A group of Twitter accounts linked to Venezuelan right-wing movements, such as Rumbo Libertad and Derecha Ciudadana, pushed hashtags not only against Nicolás Maduro but also against Juan Guaidó on Twitter. In some tweets, the group asked for military intervention and misleadingly claimed that Guaidó supported the Maduro regime.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Feb 18, 2020

Spain’s position on Venezuela jeopardizes unified fight for democracy

By Cristina Guevara

Support shown to the Maduro regime on ideological grounds serves to fuel further polarization, not only in Venezuela, but around the world. Whatever the nature of the relationship between the Maduro regime and Podemos, or ideological commonalities between the two, lending diplomatic support for Maduro is commending a dictatorship.

Democratic Transitions Southern & Southeastern Europe
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Feb 11, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 11, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Rumors claiming that Juan Guaidó had given Donald Trump permission to lead a military intervention in Venezuela started to circulate while Guaidó was on an international tour to Europe and the Western Hemisphere. The claims amassed substantial engagement on social media, including a YouTube video that received more than 100,000 views.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Feb 4, 2020

What Trump’s State of the Union means for US foreign policy

By David A. Wemer

US President Donald J. Trump used his third State of the Union address to argue that his administration has “launched the great American comeback” through its economic policies and tough international stances. In a speech that focused heavily on domestic issues, his discussion of foreign policy mainly highlighted what he believed to be his major foreign policy successes, rather than announcements of new plans.

China Energy & Environment
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Feb 4, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 4, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

A Twitter network previously reported by the DFRLab used random text, including snippets of poems, song lyrics, articles, and Wikipedia entries, to amplify anti-Guaidó hashtags on Twitter. The random text appeared to be unrelated to Guaidó and to the hashtags. The network’s actions suggest they engaged in inauthentic behavior to make the hashtags seem more popular than they were in an attempt to influence or manipulate the trending topics on Twitter.

Disinformation Venezuela
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Jan 28, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 28, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Accusations of corruption against Juan Guaidó and other National Assembly members resurfaced in the form of a misleading claim regarding the misappropriation of foreign funds that was pushed by pro-Maduro regime blogs and media outlets from Venezuela and regime-allied countries.

Disinformation Venezuela

Infographic

Jan 24, 2020

Infographic: Maduro’s Venezuela

By Atlantic Council

Venezuela

Experts