Dear John,
Just over two months ago, Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second term as President of the United States. Since January 20, we’ve witnessed an ongoing attack against this country’s democratic institutions and an alarming erosion of the norms and principles that constitute the rule of law. Since Trump’s inauguration, tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs in the federal government, while women, the LGBTIQ+ community, and people of color have been targeted by laws aimed at stripping them of their rights. At the same time, thousands of migrants have been detained and deported without due process, including the case of 238 Venezuelans sent to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, in one of the most egregious instances of abuse of power we’ve seen so far. With little to no consideration of the consequences, the Trump administration has suspended nearly all U.S. international cooperation, and the world now faces a trade war that could devastate the global economy.
The new policies enacted by the Trump administration have had serious ramifications worldwide, especially in Latin America, where U.S. foreign aid once totaled just over $2 billion. The suspension of international aid has left many civil society organizations in the region without the funding necessary to do their work. As a result, they’ve had to lay off staff, suspend important programs, or, in many cases, shut down completely. These actions, among others, form part of an alarming pattern that we have unfortunately seen before in other countries around the world. The shift towards authoritarianism is evident, and we know that WOLA must take on a strategic role in response.
Drawing on the experience of our team and WOLA’s resilient, transformative legacy, we have the tools to tackle the enormous challenges ahead. We recognize that in this critical and complex time, it is essential to strengthen our work through these three strategies that we want to share with you:
1. Truth matters: Factual, reliable information is more important than ever
In the current climate, disinformation is rampant and has profoundly harmful and far-reaching consequences. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to distinguish between the truth and propaganda. At WOLA, we remain committed to being a source of accurate, timely, and trustworthy information. Our articles, reports, publications, and other materials continue to serve as essential resources for journalists, lawmakers, civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and our supporters—both in the U.S. and across the region. We aim to remain a go-to source for “interpreting” Washington, D.C., Latin America, and the relationship between them. We’ve also created a rapid-response team to address and react to critical situations.
2. Advocacy is a vital tool: Democracy in the U.S. is still alive
While democracy in the U.S. is under serious threat, the foundation of this country’s democratic institutions and traditions remains intact. This is a crucial moment to strengthen our collective efforts, demand accountability, and defend the democratic principles that endure. There are still institutions, independent media outlets, organized communities, and courageous voices that continue to fight tirelessly to protect the rights of all people. This year, WOLA has re-launched a strategy to develop new relationships with congressional offices and strengthen our existing ones. We are also engaging in conversations and holding meetings with various political actors in our role as a nonpartisan organization to promote our message and goals. Our work is to support the fight for democracy and human rights, and to ensure that democracy not only survives, but emerges from this crisis even stronger than before.
3. Coming together and deepening our ties as a community makes us stronger.
The alliances and relationships we’ve built over the past 50 years are the foundation of our work. It is crucial that we recognize the power of collective action in the face of authoritarianism and continue strengthening existing relationships while building new ones. As a regional organization, WOLA acts as a convener, bringing together people and organizations from Latin America and the U.S. to share information, build connections, and exchange practices that strengthen our collective capacity. In this era of division and polarization, WOLA seeks to build a community of solidarity and act as a dynamic force in the defense of human rights. We’ve learned that the most powerful defense against oppression is a united community.
We recognize that we’re living through extraordinarily difficult times. At WOLA, we’ve faced authoritarianism in many forms—from the cruelty of the Pinochet regime in Chile, which led to our founding a year after the 1973 coup, to the pain and violence of Central America’s civil wars and death squads, to today’s realities in countries like Venezuela and Nicaragua, where we advocate tirelessly for the release of thousands of political prisoners and an end to ongoing repression. We know that authoritarians want to silence those who challenge them and disappear those who expose them. In this context, the role of civil society in defending democracy is vital. WOLA has the experience and commitment to tackle the immense challenge of democratic backsliding in the U.S. head on, but we cannot do it alone. Your support matters now more than ever: there is too much at stake.
Despite the many challenges we now face, we believe there is still an opportunity amidst this crisis: the chance to reimagine a more inclusive democracy. We hope you’ll stand with us - not only in this effort of resistance, but in the collective effort of reimagining and reconstructing a stronger, more inclusive democracy for all.
WOLA was made for this moment.
