John
This week marked a significant milestone in WOLA’s advocacy for human rights in Venezuela. On October 2, I had the privilege of addressing the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) alongside Jennie Lincoln from the Carter Center. I outlined the alarming human rights abuses in Venezuela, which have escalated following the most recent post-electoral wave of repression, including the arbitrary imprisonment of over 1,900 people—67 of them children and 15 indigenous individuals. To date, the Venezuelan public has been denied access to the election tallies, a striking example of how the absence of evidence becomes evidence of electoral fraud.
WOLA called on OAS member states to act decisively. We urged them to maintain diplomatic pressure on Venezuelan authorities to halt the repression and to create conditions for a peaceful, democratic transition. We also advocated for renewing the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela and adopting a coordinated regional response to migration.
Our message had a profound impact. A clip of my remarks garnered over 200,000 views on X within 24 hours (subtitled video here) and we received hundreds of messages from across the region. WOLA was called to speak for those who cannot due to fear of persecution or because they are behind bars, especially for the children who are detained and for their families. Media coverage, particularly in Venezuela, has been extensive. This reinforces WOLA’s position as a leading voice for human rights in the region.
Additionally, we launched A Human Rights Agenda for the Next U.S. Administration, a new series outlining WOLA’s key policy priorities. The first feature focuses on migration, emphasizing the urgent need for a more humane and equitable migration system in the U.S.
All this and more in the WOLA Weekly.
Warm regards,
