Dear John,
I am honored to announce that I recently joined WOLA as Venezuela Director following in the footsteps of Geoff Ramsey who held this position for four years. Although I am currently based in Bogotá, I look forward to moving to Washington D.C shortly.
Last month I visited Colombia’s border with Venezuela for the first time since before the pandemic. Following the change in government in Colombia, the border is now open after being closed for seven years. Much has changed, with the circulation of vehicles along the bridges, less presence of humanitarian aid, and fewer people crossing those bridges than in previous years. However, I was still struck by the continuous humanitarian tragedy facing Venezuelan migrants and refugees.
I decided to write about my experience from a very personal perspective. The result is this feature: “Heading to Venezuela loaded with groceries on their backs.” I hope you find it interesting.
In other news this week, alongside the Center for Democracy in the Americas and the Cuba Study Group, we urged the U.S. government to follow through on promises made a year ago to help alleviate the current economic and humanitarian crisis in Cuba. We also denounced the U.S.’ decision to send soldiers to Peru for training exercises despite recent human rights violations committed under the presidency of Dina Boluarte.
And we co-signed a letter to the Biden administration expressing concern over a return to Trump-era policies on asylum.
All this and more in this week's WOLA Weekly. Best, |
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| Laura Dib Director for Venezuela |
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🇻🇪 In this feature from the border with Colombia, Laura Dib, Director for Venezuela, finds that migration patterns in this area could be changing, while violence and poverty remain rampant.
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🇨🇺 In a recent joint statement, WOLA, Center for Democracy in the Americas and Cuba Study Group, highlighted the role the U.S. government can play in alleviating the current economic and humanitarian crisis.
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📝 WOLA signed on to an open letter addressed to the Biden administration, expressing concerns around the implementation of Trump-era policies that punish people seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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🇨🇴 In a recent Urgent Action letter detailing human rights violations against civilians and social leaders in Colombia, WOLA urges U.S. policymakers to raise concerns about the security and humanitarian situation with the Colombian government.
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🇵🇪 After six months of protests against the Boluarte government, WOLA Senior Fellow, Jo-Marie Burt, speaks out as U.S. soldiers are set to join Peru for joint military training, despite severe human rights violations. Read more here. This article is in Spanish.
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♀️ WOLA sponsored the First International Convening of Formerly Incarcerated Women, a historic forum bringing together more than 60 formerly incarcerated women from 17 countries in Bogota, Colombia. Watch the forum here.
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In May 2023, Laura Dib, Director for Venezuela, walked across the Colombia-Venezuela border with Fernando Sánchez from Creciendo Unidos to assess the humanitarian crisis. |
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🎙️ In a recent episode of Colombia Acuerdo de Paz, Gimena Sánchez, Director for the Andes, moderates a panel on gender inequalities, the environment and sustainability.
This webinar is in Spanish. |
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Carolina Jiménez Sandoval WOLA President |
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"'The Bukele effect is contagious because of the security needs that people have, a valid necessity that has not been attended to,' she said. The easiest thing to say is, 'I can apply that security model here. [...] But what comes after?' Jiménez asked. 'The roots (of the problem) have to do with social exclusion, poverty and other structural problems.'”
– Associated Press, Guatemala's presidential hopefuls channel heavy-handed tactics of El Salvador's leader
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"The concept, which is also being advanced by Petro, of wanting to reunify countries that have been divided among themselves due to geopolitics for the benefit of citizens and trade is fine and may even be necessary. The problem is that trying to unite all the countries without considering —or at least having a dialogue— a mechanism to rectify the internal problems of human rights and serious humanitarian issues can result in consolidating these problematic behaviors or make Lula or Petro complicit in them.” This article is in Spanish.
– El Tiempo, Lula, de tropiezo en tropiezo en su liderazgo internacional
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| Gimena Sánchez Director for the Andes |
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Carolina Jiménez Sandoval WOLA President |
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Intrigue Outloud, Carolina speaks on the ways in which Latin American leaders are engaging with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. |
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📌 WOLA is looking for its next Program Assistant for the Central America Program, which seeks to promote comprehensive reforms to address the root causes of migration and ensure effective and accountable governments in Central America. Learn more here.
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STAND WITH US AS WE CHAMPION HUMAN RIGHTS IN LATIN AMERICA |
(Ana Lucia Verduzco / WOLA) |
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