Venezuela Working Group

This post is also available in: Spanish

In September 2018, the Inter-American Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program launched its Venezuela Working Group, a task force of prominent hemispheric leaders committed to formulating and actively promoting policy responses to the crisis in Venezuela. The Working Group convened several times and contributed to the Peter D. Bell. Rule of Law Program’s body of work on Venezuela between 2018 and 2021.

CONTEXT 

Venezuela confronts the Americas’ most acute governance crisis in at least a generation. Its economic freefall represents a humanitarian catastrophe for millions of Venezuelans with increasingly tangible consequences for the broader region. And its growing consolidation as an autocratic state constitutes a serious setback to hemispheric guarantees of democracy and human rights. The scale and consequences of the Venezuelan crisis demand a sharp, sustained focus. However, the path forward—both for Venezuela and for other governments in the region—is murkier than perhaps ever before.

In this challenging context, the Venezuela Working Group (VWG) will gather top-tier hemispheric policymakers and analysts to work together in pursuit of actionable solutions to the Venezuela crisis. The strategic objective of the group is to inform, influence, and strengthen the actions of the actors best positioned to exploit whatever space exists to advance a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future for Venezuela and respond to the external impacts of the Venezuelan crisis.

OBJECTIVES

1. Strengthen the multilateral policy response to Venezuela’s internal economic, social, and democratic governance crisis
2.  Improve regional coordination on Venezuela’s humanitarian and migration crisis.

While taking into account potential transition scenarios, the VWG will not focus on the “day after,” but on opportunities to influence current realities. Through the VWG, the Dialogue seeks to harness its expertise and hemispheric network to the greatest effect possible in response to the defining hemispheric challenge of our time.

LEADERSHIP 

The VWG will be led by two co-chairs, former President Laura Chinchilla and former Ambassador Donna Hrinak. President Chinchilla served as President of Costa Rica from 2010 and 2014, and prior to that served as Vice President under President Oscar Arias. She was appointed co-chair of the Inter-American Dialogue in 2019. Amb. Hrinak served as U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. The co-chairs will work closely with Michael Camilleri, director of the Dialogue’s Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program, to orient, coordinate, and implement the activities of the Working Group. 

Publications

	No Strangers at the Gate Oct 2018 | Michael Camilleri & Fen Hampson This report presents recommendations to countries and organizations contending with the Venezuelan migration and refugee crisis.
	Transition Interrupted? Apr 2019 | Michael Camilleri This report analyzes the potential scenarios facing Venezuela at a critical juncture in its democratic development.
	The Long Road Feb 2020 | Michael Camilleri This report proposes a framework for future action based on a realistic assessment of Venezuela’s current trajectory.
	Corruption and Crisis in Venezuela: Asset Repatriation for Humanitarian Relief Sep 2020 | Michael Camilleri This report from the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program analyzes one of the salient features of contemporary Venezuela—rampant corruption—and presents detailed proposals for repatriating stolen assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.

Events

		The Many Faces of Venezuelan Migration  The Inter-American Dialogue  Aug 1, 2018 Event Page
		The Americas’ Refugee Crisis: Responding to Forced Migration from Venezuela The Inter-American Dialogue  Oct 31, 2018 Event Page
		Venezuela: Between Hope and Uncertainty  The Inter-American Dialogue  Feb 4, 2019 Event Page
		Hermanos en la frontera: Responsabilidad colectiva y la resuesta regional a la crisis de los refugiados y migrantes venezolanos Bogotá, Colombia Feb 13, 2019 Event Page
		Buying Votes and Lining Pockets: Venezuela’s Petro-Diplomacy  Inter-American Dialogue Mar 19, 2019 Event Page
		Venezuela: Transition Interrupted?  FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus Apr 25, 2019 Event Page
		Corruption, Criminality, and Justice in a Post-Transition Venezuela  Inter-American Dialogue  May 9, 2019 Event Page
		The Colombian Response to the Venezuelan Migration Crisis: A Dialogue with Colombia’s Migration Czar  Migration Policy Institute  Sep 27, 2019 Event Page
		A Negotiated Solution for Venezuela: Prospects for a Peaceful and Inclusive Settlement United States Institute of Peace Oct 22, 2019 Event Page
		Next Stop Caracas: Venezuela’s Uncertain Path Forward Inter-American Dialogue Feb 18, 2020 Event Page
		ONLINE EVENT: Venezuela’s Humanitarian and Human Rights Crises – The Search for Innovative Responses Inter-American Dialogue Sep 30, 2020 Event Page

Working Group Meetings

 

 

Related Publications

		Venezuela Can’t Confront Covid-19 Without a Political Truce. Will Washington Help? Apr 9, 2020 | Feliciano Reyna, Temir Porras & Verónica Zubillaga | Voces
		No es momento para juegos de guerra en Venezuela  Apr 8, 2020 | Michael Shifter & Michael Camilleri | The New York Times
		Can Justice for Maduro Bring Peace to Venezuela? Apr 3, 2020 | Michael Camilleri | Los Angeles Times
		When ‘dialogue’ becomes a dirty word. The case of Venezuela.  Oct 28, 2019 | Michael Camilleri | Development Dialogue
		Plan B in Venezuela  Sep 4, 2019 | Michael Camilleri | Foreign Affairs
		Congressional Testimony: Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act  March 13, 2019 | Rebecca Bill Chavez | Congressional Testimony
		Venezuela, 20 years after Chávez February 5, 2019 | Michael Shifter & Bruno Binetti | New York Times Español

		The Monroe Doctrine may be dead in Latin America, but its ghost still haunts the White House February 5, 2019 | Michael Shifter | The Globe and Mail
		Seize the money of Venezuelan kleptocrats to help the country and its people January 29, 2019 | Michael Camilleri & Fen Osler Hampson | The Washington Post

		Venezuela on the Brink January 28, 2019 | Michael Camilleri | La Nación
		Can Venezuela Have a Peaceful Transition? January 25, 2019 | Michael Shifter | The New York Times
		The Path to Stability in Venezuela is Narrow Indeed January 24, 2019 | Bruno Binetti | New York Daily Times
		Evolution or Revolution? US Policy on Venezuela from Obama to Trump September 21, 2018 | Michael Camilleri | Pensamiento Propio No. 47

Working Group Members

Laura Chinchilla* Costa Rica	Donna Hrinak* United States
Michael Camilleri United States	Andrés Serbin Argentina
Carlos Heredia Mexico	Diego García-Sayán Peru
Feliciano Reyna Venezuela	Francisco José Virtuoso SJ Venezuela
Jeff Davidow United States	Juan Gabriel Valdés Chile
Juan Carlos Pinzón Colombia	Rosario Córdoba Colombia
Roberta Jacobson United States	Serena Joseph-Harris Trinidad and Tobago
Sergio Etchegoyen Brazil	Vanessa Rubio Mexico
Verónica Zubillaga Venezuela

*co-chair

Funders

The VWG is possible thanks to the generous support of the Open Society Foundations and the Ford Foundation. The Inter-American Dialogue is a non-partisan organization deeply committed to intellectual independence. While donors are encouraged to participate in our activities, funders do not and have never influenced our research or programs. Our directors, members, staff, and constituents represent many views and our funding sources are diverse. All contributions conform to the Dialogue’s internal donor guidelines and US tax laws. The Dialogue is transparent in listing all donors in our Annual Report and on our website. Additionally, 990s are readily available to any individual or organization upon request.

Contact

Michael Camilleri

Program Director, Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program | +1-202-204-5559 | mcamilleri@thedialogue.org