Since María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela on October 25, the country’s politics feel different. Many hope the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate will speed up Venezuela’s return to democracy. Since Nicolás Maduro’s capture in January, the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez has passed an amnesty law, released hundreds of political prisoners, and joined U.S.-backed talks with part of the opposition. Yet much of the old system is still standing. Many officials who ran the regime’s security apparatus remain in their posts, Foro Penal counts more than 300 political prisoners, and there is still no date for a presidential election.
How much will Machado’s return shake up Venezuelan politics, and what has to happen before Venezuelans can vote in a credible election? Our guest is Alfredo Romero, a lawyer and the executive director of Foro Penal, a Venezuelan human rights organization that represents political prisoners.
Guest:
Alfredo Romero is Executive Director of Foro Penal.
Host:
Brian Winter is editor in chief of Americas Quarterly
If you would like to know more:
REACTION: Machado’s Return to Venezuela Set to Test Democratic Transition by AQ Editors
Can Venezuela’s Push for Elections Succeed? by Benigno Alarcón Deza
Venezuela’s Complicated U.S. Oil Deal by Luis A. Pacheco
Venezuela’s Overwhelming Electricity Crisis by Francisco Morandi and Luisa Palacios
The Real Negotiation Venezuela Needs by Benigno Alarcón Deza
AQ Podcast | Venezuela’s Transition Talks
The New York Times correspondent Anatoly Kurmanaev on what the new round of negotiations means for the future of Venezuela.
