Dear John,

There is a democratic crisis (which has led to a human rights crisis) happening in Venezuela.

Here are the details I think you should know, as well as how you can help WOLA’s work.

The Situation

On Sunday, July 28, Venezuela held their first presidential election in six years. President Nicolas Maduro was running for his third term while the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, was supported by opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who was illegally disqualified to be on the ballot. Participation in the election by Venezuelans far exceeded expectations and was a true example of civic participation.
In the early hours of Monday, July 29 Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE) declared Maduro the winner of the election without providing proof and disaggregated data of polling stations, as it has done in every previous presidential election.
The opposition has informed Venezuelans and the international community that they collected voting tallies from 80% of polling stations. Their data, available in an open and publicly available website, shows an overwhelming victory for Edmundo González Urrutia.

The Aftermath

On Monday, July 29, after Maduro claimed victory, Venezuelans took to the streets throughout the country to peacefully protest CNE’s claims of Maduro's victory and denounced the stated elections results as fraudulent.
In the days since, the government reacted with violence and widespread repression. According to WOLA’s partner’s on the ground, more than 1,200 people have been arbitrarily detained, including 100 children (under 18 years old). 24 people have died due to intense repression and there are reported cases of forced disappearance.
The entire country remains heavily militarized.
People detained have remained incommunicado, their right to designate private defense has been systematically violated and they are being accused of terrorism and incitement of violence.
All of the detainees are at risk of torture because it has been documented that Venezuelan prisions have used these tactics in the past.
Maduro severed diplomatic relationships with several Latin American countries that questioned his electoral win, including the government of Chile.

The Role WOLA is Playing

Based on the information WOLA receives from Venezuelan and international civil society organizations on the ground, we are providing regular briefings to U.S. government officials, as well as European diplomatic missions, and multilateral organizations.
WOLA has contributed to convening spaces across the region and has made an effort to explain what is happening in Venezuela.
We serve as an essential bridge between advocates in the U.S. and Venezuela who are speaking up for transparent, free and fair elections and respect for the will of the people.
Because of the proliferation of disinformation, WOLA will continue to be a place where vetted facts and the truth can be found. Our experts have given dozens of interviews across diverse media outlets, ensuring that truthful information reaches a broad audience. This media engagement is a vital form of advocacy, countering disinformation and reinforcing WOLA as a trusted source for accurate information.

The most important part you can take in these efforts at the moment is to make a gift to support our advocacy efforts. It takes so much people-power to stay engaged and informed in intense moments of crisis like this. A contribution to WOLA enables us to be a leader on the international stage as the aftermath of a stolen election in Venezuela continues to play out.

We thank you for your solidarity and generosity during these uncertain times.