Dear John,
Last week, I was in Bogotá meeting with over 20 international and Peruvian organizations to discuss a troubling trend we're seeing across Latin America: the systematic closing of civic space. Together, we explored how we can collectively confront the crisis facing social movements and civil society throughout the region.
Our conversations were particularly urgent given the situation in Peru, where organizations are grappling with an incredibly strict NGO law that threatens their fundamental ability to carry out their work. This legislation imposes severe restrictions on civil society operations, creating an environment where human rights defenders and advocacy organizations struggle to function effectively. WOLA previously denounced this law when it was passed early this year as another measure weakening democracy and the rule of law in the country.
Unfortunately, Peru's case is not an isolated incident. Over the last few months, we've been meeting with partners across Latin America who share deep concerns about escalating attacks on civil society—and how these attacks are increasingly being codified into law. Apart from Venezuela’s new laws, our colleagues in El Salvador now face a new foreign agents law that will greatly reduce their capacity to conduct essential human rights work, adding another layer of restriction to an already challenging operating environment.
In this context, WOLA recently released an extensive report analyzing these restrictive laws and examining the deeper regional trend of limits on civic space that threaten democratic institutions across the Americas. Stay tuned for a PDF version in English and Spanish coming next week! The patterns we've identified are deeply concerning and demand urgent attention from the international community.
Civil society organizations serve as a crucial pillar of democracy, holding governments accountable, advocating for marginalized communities, and defending fundamental human rights. That's why WOLA is working to engage with key actors not only in the United States, but also with others in the international community, to reiterate the vital importance of civil society and to fight for the protection of this essential democratic pillar.
Sincerely,
