Over the last ten days 4,700 Venezuelans, according to the United Nations estimate, have fled across the border into Colombia as the Venezuelan armed forces carry out an offensive against Colombian guerrilla
Geoff Ramsey is WOLA’s Former Director for Venezuela, and coordinates the program’s research and advocacy in Washington. He is a leading expert on Venezuela’s political crisis, and has traveled regularly to the country since 2014. He is in close contact with key actors working for an end to the crisis in Venezuela, both inside and outside of the country. Mr. Ramsey advocates for policies that advance a peaceful, negotiated solution to Venezuela’s crisis, that address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Venezuelan people, and that support a humane response to the unique needs of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. In addition to authoring a number of reports and commentary pieces for WOLA and the Venezuelan Politics and Human Rights blog, his work has been cited or published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, and other major media outlets. Before joining WOLA, Mr. Ramsey carried out consulting work as a researcher for the Open Society Foundation’s Latin America Program. His work involved monitoring civil society advocacy for and implementation of 2013 drug policy reforms in Uruguay, where he lived for two years. Prior to that he lived in Colombia and Brazil, where he researched and reported on regional insecurity issues for InSight Crime. Mr. Ramsey earned an M.A. in International Affairs from the American University School of International Service, as well a B.A. in International Studies with a minor in Spanish from AU.
Over the last ten days 4,700 Venezuelans, according to the United Nations estimate, have fled across the border into Colombia as the Venezuelan armed forces carry out an offensive against Colombian guerrilla
Last week I spoke with Venezuelan journalist Vladimir Villegas on his streaming platform, Vladimir a la Carta (see video above). As I told him, and as subsequent media like El Universal reported, a peaceful and democratic solution in Venezuela is unlikely without some...
Venezuela’s opposition has approved a measure to ask the U.S. government to unfreeze funding for a COVID-19 vaccine in the country, bringing the country one step closer to mass vaccination even as significant hurdles remain. On March 19, the “Delegated Commission”...
Recent weeks have seen credible reports of quiet talks on electoral reform in Venezuela. While success is not guaranteed, this week’s extension of a key deadline in the process of naming a new National Electoral Council (CNE) suggests negotiations are progressing. ...
On March 1, Colombian President Iván Duque signed a decree to provide a Temporary Protection Permit (PPT) to Venezuelans in the country, which will offer a formal immigration status to 1.7 million Venezuelans living in the country. This is an important gesture, as an...
Today, a broad and growing civil society coalition in Venezuela took a major step forward in a campaign for free and fair elections. The group of Venezuelan organizations announced a list of 15 individuals to be candidates for rectors of the National Electoral Council...
In response to new EU sanctions against 19 individuals, a possible sign of greater EU-U.S. coordination, the Maduro government has retaliated by declaring the EU ambassador in Caracas a persona non grata. On February 24, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza gave EU...
Recent, limited talks between the Maduro government and elements of Venezuelan society have renewed debate over negotiations in the country, and whether they can serve to help build momentum towards a larger political accord that includes elements such as freeing...
In the fourth episode of The Venezuela Briefing, hosts Geoff Ramsey and Kristen Martinez-Gugerli interview WOLA colleague Gimena Sanchez and Dejusticia’s Lucia Ramirez to learn more about a recent measure by the Colombian government to provide legal residency to Venezuelan migrants living in the country.
On February 5, several Venezuelan civil society organizations, academic groups, labor unions, and social movements came together in Caracas to announce a new, non-partisan coalition to push for democratic change in the country: the National Civic Forum (Foro Cívico...