Despite signing the October 2023 Barbados Agreement to convene free and fair elections, the government of Nicolás Maduro has decidedly tilted the electoral playing field in its favor for the July 28, 2024 presidential election. This includes upholding the disqualification of the leading opposition candidate, Maria Corina Machado, threatening and jailing opposition supporters, and revising the location of voting sites. In addition, despite its commitment in Barbados to invite an EU election observation mission, in late May 2024, the national electoral council (CNE) revoked its invitation. Nonetheless, polls indicate that the Venezuelan people are eager to vote, making the upcoming presidential election a key political moment.
Join the Inter-American Dialogue and Chatham House for this online event on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EDT (3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, London time), for a panel discussion comparing elections, electoral conditions, outcomes, and post-election risks. How do these violations and the uncertainty in the lead-up to election day and the post-election environment compare to other elections in Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, and Europe? In some countries, democrats have persisted in competing and, in some cases, have won. In others, incumbent governments have effectively foreclosed meaningful elections and citizen choice. Are there lessons from these other cases that can illustrate the challenges and possibilities for human and political rights in unfair electoral environments, democratic change or negotiations?
This event is part of the Inter-American Dialogue’s series on upcoming elections in Latin America and the Caribbean. Follow this event on X (formerly Twitter) @The_Dialogue and @ChathamHouse.
This event will have simultaneous interpretation from English to Spanish and vice versa.
OPENING REMARKS
President and CEO, Inter-American Dialogue (@RebeccaBillChav)
PANELISTS
Director, Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation, OASTransparency Venezuela (@gerardodeicaza)
Director, Rule of Law Program, Inter-American Dialogue (@TamaraTaraciuk)
Dwight W. Morrow 1895 Professor and Chair of Political Science, Amherst College (@jcorrales2011)
Adviser, European Partnership for Democracy, Election-Watch EU, and the Kofi Annan Foundation (@patrick_era)
Director, More Consulting Polling Company (@luis_vidal_s)
MODERATOR
Senior Fellow for Latin America, Chatham House (@ChrisSabatini)
