On February 12, president and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue, Rebecca Bill Chavez, participated in the panel “Venezuela at a Turning Point: What Comes Next for the Country, the Region, and Washington’s Approach” hosted by Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. Chavez highlighted that the operation that removed Maduro was well-planned and relied on tight intelligence coordination, but stressed that the harder task is managing what follows. She warned that the situation in Venezuela remains fragile, with limited state control in parts of the country and multiple armed groups on the ground, creating risks of escalation. Chavez also emphasized the need to bring the Venezuelan people and the countries of the region, including Colombia, into the transition process. She highlighted the risks of continued “Madurismo sin Maduro” without a credible election timetable and verifiable democratic benchmarks. She further argued that there must be a viable economic plan that delivers visible benefits to the Venezuelan people.
