Stay Updated

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.

more on vwg
Venezuela policy BITES

Content

New Atlanticist

Jan 23, 2020

A year in, the United States still stands behind Venezuela’s interim government

By David A. Wemer

As the interim government of Venezuela continues to fight for freedom and democracy against the regime of Nicolás Maduro, the United States is “unwavering in [its] commitment” to helping Interim President Juan Guaidó and the National Assembly, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green said on January 23.

Democratic Transitions Human Rights
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 21, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 21, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

On January 11, Juan Guaidó, president of the National Assembly who is recognized by more than 50 countries as interim president of Venezuela, announced his intention to appoint a presidential commission to oversee the restructuring of the Maduro regime-backed broadcaster Telesur. The announcement started the debate about the future of the media outlet. The regime mounted a significant response on social and traditional media, including on Telesur itself.

Disinformation Venezuela

Issue briefs and reports

Jan 21, 2020

PeaceGame Venezuela: Pathways to Peace

By Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

As Venezuela becomes increasingly engulfed in internal strife, the international community must prepare for the most dire scenarios. What would be the reverberations of complete state collapse? How might various stakeholders— from Venezuelan actors to regional neighbors to Russia or armed groups—respond?

Crisis Management Democratic Transitions

Event Recap

Jan 15, 2020

Stemming Maduro’s Illicit Activities: What’s Next After the Jan. 5 Elections?

By Pablo Reynoso

Beyond hyperinflation and human rights abuses, the Maduro regime has diversified its criminal portfolio and profited from a host of illicit activities, from drug smuggling to illegal mining.

Corruption Crisis Management
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 14, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 14, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Twitter suspended dozens of accounts connected to the Maduro regime on January 7, 2020, including the official accounts of the Ministerio del Poder Popular de Petróleo (the Ministry of People’s Power for Petroleum), the Minister of the Interior, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2020

China’s support for the Maduro regime: Enduring or fleeting?

By Cristina Guevara

As Venezuela’s biggest creditor, China is carrying the burden of Venezuela’s economic collapse. The PRC has become increasingly aware of this unsustainable situation, and, behind closed doors, has been in communications with the interim government. Back in February, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China is open to working with a different government to ensure payment for the loans-for-oil deals. Strictly speaking, China’s relationship with the South American country is transactional, not ideological.

China International Markets

New Atlanticist

Jan 8, 2020

After Maduro’s latest ploy, what’s next for the Venezuelan opposition?

By Jasper Gilardi

"The images of Juan Guaidó and other democratically-elected members of the National Assembly being physically barred from entering the assembly building was visible proof of how far Nicolás Maduro is willing to go to deny any semblance of democracy in Venezuela," Jason Marczak says.

Civil Society Corruption
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 7, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 7, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

As Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó waged a political battle for Venezuela, they spent 2019 going head to head on social media as well. Social media is an important battlefield in Venezuela and one of the areas the regime prioritizes in order to control the country. The DFRLab analyzed their social presence on Facebook and Twitter from January to December 2019 and concluded that, even though Maduro has more followers and page likes, Guaidó garners more engagement with his posts.

Disinformation Venezuela
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Dec 17, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: December 17, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

As Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó waged a political battle for Venezuela, they spent 2019 going head to head on social media as well. Social media is an important battlefield in Venezuela and one of the areas the regime prioritizes in order to control the country. The DFRLab analyzed their social presence on Facebook and Twitter from January to December 2019 and concluded that, even though Maduro has more followers and page likes, Guaidó garners more engagement with his posts.

Disinformation Venezuela
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Dec 10, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: December 10, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

On December 8, 2019, Spanish newspaper El Mundo published a set of images that the opposition to the Maduro regime took to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The action was intended to prove that Óscar Pérez, a former police officer, had been executed by the regime. Venezuelan authorities announced on January 16, 2018, that Óscar Pérez had been killed in a shootout with security forces. Videos published on social media, however, showed Pérez asking Maduro forces to stop shooting and promising he would surrender. Pérez had led an insurrection against Maduro in June 2018.

Disinformation Venezuela
Load More

Experts

Millennium fellow

Roberto Patino

Founder and CEO, Mi Convive / Alimenta La Solidaridad

Millennium Leadership Program

Civil Society Entrepreneurship
Daniel Suarez Perez

Staff

Daniel Suárez Pérez

Research Associate, Latin America

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Colombia Conflict

Fellow

Iria Puyosa

Senior Research Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Americas Civil Society

Millennium fellow

Félix Alberto Quintero

Counsel, World Bank

Millennium Leadership Program

Latin America Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Erika Rodríguez

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

European Union International Organizations

Fellow

Samantha Sultoon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Cuba East Asia
Load More