Washington, DC - Nine months after the US government and much of the international community rejected the legitimacy of Nicolas Maduro’s claim to a new six-year presidential term based on elections widely denounced as fraudulent, the country’s political and humanitarian crisis has worsened with no immediate solution on the horizon. Efforts to broker a negotiated transition were underway for several months, but talks have stalled and it is unclear when they may resume. Though the crisis appears to have entered an uneasy stalemate, there continue to be important efforts inside the country to create the conditions for an inclusive, democratic solution and prevent violent conflict.

The U.S. Institute of Peace, the Washington Office on Latin America, the Inter-American Dialogue and the Woodrow Wilson Center's Latin American Program are pleased to host a discussion on Tuesday, October 22nd with selected members of the Grupo Experto para Venezuela (GEV): an initiative of the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) that brings together a group of 16 high-level Venezuelan experts based in the country and committed to promoting ideas for a peaceful, negotiated, constitutional solution to the country’s crisis.

Opening Remarks:

• Steve Hege, Senior Expert, Colombia Peace Process

Speakers:

• Pedro Nikken, Professor, Central University of Venezuela Law School 
• Michael Penfold, Professor, Venezuelan Institute of Advanced Studies in Administration; Fellow, Latin American Program, Woodrow Wilson Center 
• Margarita Lopez Maya, Technical Advisory Council, Political Studies Center, Andres Bello Catholic University 
• Hiram Gaviria, President, Union y Entendimiento (Puente) Party 
• Orlando Ochoa, Independent economist and consultant

Moderator:

• Geoff Ramsey, Assistant Director for Venezuela, Washington Office on Latin America