Venezuela stands at a critical juncture. Following Nicolás Maduro's removal in January 2026, the question facing Venezuelan democratic actors and international partners is no longer whether a transition should occur, but how it could realistically unfold and what risks may undermine it.

This first webinar in the Democracy Action Lab’s "Rebuilding Democracy in Venezuela" series examines the political foundations of democratic transition in Venezuela. The discussion will focus on the institutional and strategic constraints shaping a potential democratic opening, the priorities democratic forces should consider in the early stages of transition, and the lessons that comparative experiences — from Eastern Europe and other post-authoritarian contexts — offer for Venezuela today.

Panelists will assess practical pathways toward democratic governance, highlighting both the opportunities and the blind spots embedded in prevailing transition strategies.

SPEAKERS
 

• José Ramón Morales-Arilla, Research Professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey's Graduate School of Government and Public Transformation
  • The Challenges of the Venezuelan Transition
     
• Larry Diamond, Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
  • Challenges for Democratization in Comparative Perspective
     
• Kathryn Stoner, Mosbacher Director of CDDRL and Satre Family Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
  • Lessons for Venezuela from Eastern Europe
     
• Moderator: Héctor Fuentes, Visiting Scholar at CDDRL