Civil Society Crackdown in Venezuela: Working for Peaceful Change in the Face of Repression

The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) cordially invites you to attend an upcoming webinar on Venezuela’s crisis:

As Venezuela’s political crisis deepens, civil society organizations and activists find themselves routinely targeted by repressive campaigns by the de facto government of Nicolás Maduro. On April 29, the Venezuelan Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace issued an ordinance requiring all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country to register with the national anti-terrorism office. This requirement replaces a previous version published on March 30, and eliminates alarming language obliging NGOs to provide the government with a list of their beneficiaries, possibly referring to the specific victims and vulnerable communities that they serve. Despite the change, concerns persist that the new rule may be used to criminalize dissent.

On April 19, The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) joined with 91 Venezuelan and regional NGOs to issue a statement expressing our concern with this clear effort to silence independent civil society in Venezuela. Join WOLA on Wednesday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a discussion among Venezuelan activists about the implications of this ordinance and other efforts to repress civil society amid the political crisis.