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Home , 2019 Lima Challenger, Borders of Venezuela, Broad Front (Chile), Claudia Blum, Constituent Unity, Lima Group

Group: The Crisis In Background Guide Table of Contents

Letters from Committee Staffers Committee Logistics Introduction to the Committee Introduction to Topic One History of the Problem Past Actions Taken Closing Thoughts Questions to Consider Introduction to Topic Two History of the Problem Past Actions Taken Closing Thoughts Questions to Consider Resources to Use Bibliography

Staff of the Committee Chair CeCe Szkutak Vice Chair Erica MacDonald Crisis Director Andrea Gomez Assistant Crisis Director Sophia Alvarado

Coordinating Crisis Director: Julia Mullert

Under Secretary General Elena Bernstein

Taylor Cowser, Secretary General Neha Iyer, Director General

Letter from the Chair

Hello Delegates!

I am so pleased to welcome you to the Lima Group! My name is CeCe Szkutak and I will be your honorable chair for BosMUN XIX. A little about me, I am currently a sophomore at Boston

University studying Political Science and Urban Studies. I am originally from Northern Virginia but went to high school in Southern Vermont. I love to ski and have been a ski instructor for the past five winters. I am a sucker for show tunes and absolutely love a good podcast. I participated in Model UN all four years of high school and actually attended BosMUN three times over the years! BosMUN holds a very special place in my heart so I could not be more excited to be chairing this committee.

If you have any questions about the structure of the committee or on the topic areas please do not hesitate to reach out. I will make sure to respond in a timely manner and please no question is a dumb question! I’m also happy to answer questions you may have about Boston University or about

Model UN at in college. I look forward to seeing all of your faces in February, but until then, I wish you the best of luck with your preparation!

Best Wishes,

CeCe Szkutak (Boston University ‘22) [email protected]

Letter from the Vice Chair

Hello, Delegates.

First and foremost, welcome to BosMUN XIX, whether you’re a returning or new delegate for the conference. This is the Lima Group: the . Our specialized committee promises an exciting weekend—I hope you’re ready!

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Erica MacDonald, and I will be your Vice Chair. I am originally from New Jersey. I am currently a freshman at Boston University in our Kilachand

Honors College. Although I have yet to declare an official major, I am considering doubling in

International Relations and Economics. In high school, I was a Model UN delegate, just like yourselves, for three years. In college, the first organization I joined was the Boston University

International Affairs Association—this will be my second conference with BUIAA. I also play intramural volleyball here at BU, and write for The Buzz magazine on campus. You can find me at any Boston coffee shop watching Netflix, reading a book, or listening to music.

My goal for this conference is a productive but fun committee room. I look forward to getting to know each of you and answering any questions about college life. Until then, good luck with your studies, applications, and, of course, preparing for BosMUN!

Best Wishes,

Erica MacDonald (BU ‘23)

[email protected]

Letter from the Crisis Director

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to BosMUN XIX! My name is Andrea Gomez and I will be your Crisis Director for this conference. I am a junior pursuing a double major in Economics and Philosophy. I was born and raised in , Venezuela, and moved to Miami, Florida in 2014. Within BU, I am a part of the

International Affairs Association and I am the Chief Justice of Student Government. A few fun facts about me: I am a Harry Potter nerd, I am a black belt in Karate, and I absolutely love squirrels.

Due to my interest in law, I have spent the past two summers working as an intern at the State

Attorney’s Office in Miami. I also love researching and currently work at a research lab at the School of Social Work as a Research Assistant.

I started competing in Model UN conferences in Venezuela, continued throughout high school, and have competed a little bit in college. I have staffed several conferences, including

BarMUN XI, BU’s college conference, where I served as USG of Committees. I have also staffed

BosMUN twice in the past and served as a chair for WEMUN Expo 2018 and for a few MUN simulations for middle and high school students with UNAGB.

BosMUN is a particularly fun conference,, so I am extremely excited to CD this committee for you. CeCe and I have been working really hard to make this an amazing experience for you, so I hope you enjoy it as much as we have! If you have any questions or concerns (or just want to say hi!) feel free to email me at [email protected].

Best,

Andrea Gomez

Letter from the Assistant Crisis Director

Hello Delegates y Bienvenidos a BosMUN XIX!

My name is Sophia Alvarado and I am so excited to welcome you to this year’s conference and to the Lima Group: The Crisis in Venezuela. I hope you’re ready for an eventful and challenging weekend ahead! A few fun facts about me - I am a sophomore at BU pursuing International Relations.

I am also a member of the Kilachand Honors College, the BU Mock Trial Team, the International

Relations Review, and of course BU’s International Affairs Association. Born and raised on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, I am a big fan of surfing, sailing, and all things pertaining to growing up in the Caribbean. Though I did not have the opportunity to participate in MUN until my time at BU, I began by crisis staffing our collegiate conference -BarMUN - last fall. Since then, I have quickly grown to love the challenges and intellectual stimulation of the experience.

As your ACD I am completely at your disposal for any questions or concerns you may have about BosMUN or about what it's like to be a student at Boston University. Please do not hesitate to reach out as I am more than happy to be a resource for all of you. I look forward to seeing you all in the spring!

Best,

Sophia Alvarado (BU ‘22) [email protected]

Committee Logistics

This committee will be run as a crisis committee. This means that we will be using directives, rather than resolutions, to enact solutions as a committee. We will be capping sponsors at four delegates for each directive. In addition, you will be able to send personal crisis notes to further your personal goals and communicate with the outside world in the form of the crisis room. Finally, the committee will also be able to pass press releases in order to publish news to the outside world.

BosMUN XIX has a very specific format we will be using to manage crisis notes. We will be using the “notepad system” which means every delegate will have TWO notepads designated for crisis notes. This system has two main objectives. First, by having two notepads you can have one with you in committee for writing, while the other is being responded to simultaneously in the crisis room. Second, all notes should be kept in the notepad. No delegates or staffers should rip out notes from the pad. This is the best way to ensure that crisis staffers keep track of your notes and crisis arcs.

Finally, awards will be determined based on your performance both in committee and in the crisis room. This means that you should be a strong leader in discussion, while also maintaining a strategic crisis arc. That being said, we expect every delegate to be respectful of their staffers as well as their fellow delegates. BosMUN aims to be an educational experience for returning and first-time delegates, so we will strictly enforce decorum in committee. We will have zero tolerance for rude behavior, so please come with a great attitude and ready to make BosMUN XIX your best conference yet!

Introduction to the Committee

The Lima Group was founded on August 8, 2017 when the Foreign Ministers and Representatives of , , , , , , , , , , , and gathered in Lima to address the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. This meeting produced a declaration that condemned “the rupture of the democratic order in Venezuela.” The declaration also addressed concerns for the ongoing humanitarian crisis and condemned the government for withholding food and medicine from the Venezuelan people. Possibly most importantly, the group pledged full support with the democratically elected National Assembly.

This declaration did not result in any form of physical intervention to attempt to diffuse the instability within Venezuela. Many declarations of similar nature were produced by the group following the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election as well as after Juan Guaido proclaimed himself president in early 2019. The Lima Group fully supported Interim President Juan Guaidó and invited him to join the Lima Group in a declaration in February 2019. This declaration also called upon the National Armed Forces in Venezuela “to demonstrate their loyalty to the Interim President in his constitutional functions as their Commander in Chief.” 1 Please note that the START DATE of this committee will be May

15fh.

For the sake of this committee, the ultimate purpose of the Lima Group is to restore democracy within Venezuela that is free from internal corruption. In order to achieve this goal, steps must be taken to tackling the ongoing humanitarian crisis due to a lack of resources and corruption as well as addressing the military’s support for illegitimate President Nicolas Maduro. Past responses have by no means been enough to mitigate the crisis, so it is now up to you!

1https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2019/02/lima-group-declaration-february-04-2019.htm l

Intro to Topic One: Power Struggle in Venezuela

Venezuela has seen a wide array of leaders rise to power over the years, but none have sparked as much controversy as current President Nicolas Maduro. For this topic it is important to understand the role dictators have played in Venezuela throughout history. The current political situation is extremely hostile,. The Lima Group has denounced President Maduro as a legitimate ruler claiming his elections were fraudulent. What is ultimately most important is the overall stability of

Latin America. This crisis in Venezuela has caused major tensions with their bordering countries and weakened their ties with their neighbors. The Lima Group must respond to the ongoing presidential crisis in a strategic and timely manner. Without action, the Venezuelan stronghold on resources will continue to plague the lives of Venezuelan citizens as well as continue to drive Venezuela’s foreign relations into the ground.

History of the Problem

Pre-Chavez Era: Early to Mid 20th Century

The early 20th century was host to a number of influential changes within Venezuela. In 1908,

Juan Vicente Gómez took charge of the country. This administration is known for its discovery of

Venezuela’s petroleum deposits, now a crucial part of the country’s economy. Gómez was succeeded by his Minister of War, López Contreras. He was followed by his own Minister of War, Medina

Angarita, who ruled over Venezuela during their transition to a formal democracy. The corruption that plagued previous administrations was replaced during the 1960s by a period of high transparency in the management of public wealth at the hands of democratic presidents Rómulo Betancourt, Raúl

Leoni and Rafael Caldera.2 During these years, Venezuelan democracy became the political model to be imitated in and became a haven for thousands of Latin American political exiles looking for freedom.

In the mid-1970s, the management of national assets deteriorated quite a bit, as the country experienced an unexpected spike in the success of the oil industry that tripled fiscal income. The men in charge of the government were exposed to extraordinary temptations. Faced with immense monetary riches, President Carlos Perez established a program called “The Great Venezuela,” a tropical version of Mao Tse-Tung’s “Great Leap Forward” in that ended in financial and social disaster. The government poured close to two billion dollars into industrial projects designed to convert southern Venezuela into another Ruhr. As a result of the significant government expenditure and insufficient enforcement of regulations, corruption spun out of control.

2 https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/corruption-democracy-venezuela

History of the Problem

The Rule of Chavez: Late 20th Century to 2013

Hugo Chavez was elected in December 1998 on the strength of three main promises: convening a Constituent Assembly to write a new constitution and improve the state, fighting poverty and social exclusion, and eliminating corruption.3 He was extremely popular in the eyes of Venezuelan citizens as they saw him as a man who spoke like the people. Unfortunately, despite the high hopes of the populous, Chavez turnout out to be the most corrupt ruler Venezuela had ever seen. Billions of dollars were stolen or unaccounted for, squandering Venezuelan resources and enriching high-level officials.4 Not only that, but his Constituent Assembly, made up of his followers, went on to dissolve the democratically elected Congress and dismiss all the members of the Supreme

Court, as well as the Attorney General, the General Comptroller, and most of the judges in the country, only to replace them with bureaucrats loyal to the president. Additionally, Chavez gave himself exclusive authority on the management of state affairs, placing him above the law.

On April 9, 2002 a general strike was called for by the national federation of trade unions,

Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CTV), in response to Chavez's appointments of political allies to prominent posts in Venezuela's national oil company.5 Two days later, up to one million Venezuelans marched in opposition to Chavez in . By that evening 19 people were dead, both opponents and supporters of the government. Military high command then convened and demanded Chavez to resign. He refused, was arrested by the military, and denied asylum in Cuba in

3www.jstor.org/stable/2692130 4 https://www.cato.org/publications/development-policy-analysis/corruption-mismanagement-abuse-power-hu go-chavezs-venezuela 5https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/15/venezuela.alexbellos

History of the Problem

The Rule of Chavez: Late 20th Century to 2013 (continued) order to be tried in court. Chavez was ousted from office for 47 hours, before being restored by a combination of military loyalists and support from the Venezuelan poor.

The coup was allegedly planned for some time, as those who opposed Chávez felt that his government was becoming undemocratic and favored a portion of the population, with members of certain social groups beginning to feel alienated by Chavez. Although Chávez initially denied intentions that the U.S. government sought to overthrow his government, he and his supporters later accused the of involvement in the coup.6 It was almost certainly done with the sponsorship of the CIA. While the US was not directly involved, they did have prior knowledge of it and they hosted private meetings with those involved with the coup. They did not orchestrate or encourage the coup, but planned the transition.

On March 5, 2013, Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on state television that Chavez had died in a military hospital in Caracas, after having battled illness for two years. Despite having died from a heart attack and colon cancer, Minister of Defense Alfredo Molero alleged that Chavez had been appointed or infected with a cancerous virus by the U.S government. The US State department dismissed this claim. His death triggered a constitutional requirement that a presidential election be called within 30 days. As a result, Chavez’s Vice President, Nicolas Maduro, was elected president in April of 2013.

6 https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/15/coup-fatigue-in-caracas-venezuela-maduro/

History of the Problem

Transition to Maduro: 2013-Present

On April 14, 2013, Nicolas Maduro was narrowly elected president of Venezuela. Maduro beat his pro-business challenger, , with a victory margin of 1.6 percent.7 Capriles claimed the results were manipulated and requested a vote-by-vote audit, but the results were deemed irreversible. This sparked major protests coming from the opposition. The ruling party dismissed the accusations of tempering with the election results as a U.S.-led plot to destabilize the country. On

May 2, 2016, opposition leaders in Venezuela handed in a petition to the National Electoral Council

(CNE) calling for a recall referendum.8 This was met by hostility from the Venezuelan government, as the Venezuelan intelligence service detained five opposition activists involved. The government continued to delay, but on August 1 the CNE announced they had received enough signatories.

Unfortunately, the government vowed a recall would not occur until 2017, inhibiting the ability for a new president to be elected in 2016.

7https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/15/nicolas-maduro-wins-venezuelan-election 8 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36576771

Past Actions Taken

Ever since the highly controversial re-election of Nicolas Maduro in May 2018, the opposition-controlled National Assembly has refused to recognize Maduro as a legitimate ruler. The opposition argues that Maduro is clinging on to power through fraudulent elections — many candidates were barred from running in 2018, while others were imprisoned. Since the National

Assembly has deemed this election as neither fair or free, Juan Guiado who is the president of the

National Assembly, declared himself acting president in January 2019 at the same time Maduro began his second term.

The reaction from the international community has mixed. Immediately following Guiado’s announcement, the United States, Canada, and a majority of the have recognized him as president. Within , Brazil — South America’s largest country and Venezuela’s neighbor — has described Maduro as a dictator and has given full support to Guaido. A number of other centrist and right-leaning countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru have also come out in support. On the other side of the table, China, , Turkey, and Iran have all held their ground in support of Maduro as well as a handful of left-leaning Latin American governments, including Cuba, and Nicaragua.

Past Actions Taken

One of the more important actors to consider is the Venezuelan military. Ever since he took office in 2013, Nicolas Maduro has been handing over key segments of Venezuela’s economy to the armed forces.9 This trend of political corruption within the military can also be observed during

Hugo Chavez’s reign, Maduro’s late predecessor. The current military doctrine is based on policies that were put into place by Chavez who had both a strong military background and a plan to change the country’s political direction. After securing a socialist stronghold over Venezuela, Chavez was able to craft a “civil-military .” This political philosophy was aimed at expanding the military’s role and active involvement in the execution of public policy. The military is an extremely important actor as military officials are in charge of key sectors of the Venezuelan government such as food distribution services and the state-owned oil company PDVSA.10 The military is a crucial enforcement mechanism within Venezuela, so without their support, there is almost no way for the opposition forces to take charge.

9https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/venezuela-military/ 10https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/venezuela-military-support-explainer-190222210148032.html

Past Actions Taken

In early May 2019, Guaido called upon the public to rise up against Maduro and join him in the streets to overthrow his leadership. Guaido believed that these protests would be the final stage of his movement and would secure his legitimacy as President of Venezuela — he was wrong. Although the protests were largely disruptive, Guaido himself admitted that his opposition forces overestimated the military support he had and would need much more military backing in order to be installed as the

Venezuelan President.11 His forces believed a large enough protest would be enough to cause military leaders to defect to his side — especially since there were signs that Venezuelan military defections may have been rising, with increasing numbers deserting and arriving in Colombia and Brazil.12

Unfortunately, even if members of the military may be upset with Maduro, more has to be done for them to be persuaded to rebel.

Although domestic politics within Venezuela is extremely important to consider when drafting directives on this topic, considering international actors is equally as crucial. The international community is already engaging with the presidential crisis through voicing their support for candidates, but there must be efforts to mobilize. Reaching out to international bodies like the United

Nations and European Union is going to be a starting point for the Lima Group. International unity is going to determine the success of any operation. Do not forgot to take into account the response of the international community when working on potential solutions to the power struggle in Venezuela.

11https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/americas/venezuela-maduro-guaido-intl/index.html 12https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-support-factbox/guaido-vs-maduro-who-is-backing-who m-in-venezuela-idUSKCN1S62DY

Topic 1 Closing Thoughts...

As aforementioned , the overarching goal of the Lima Group is to restore democracy within

Venezuela. In most recent events, the group has released declaration detailing their utter discontent with President Maduro, but action beyond these documents has been non-existent. The international community knows that the Lima Group is in support of Guaido and his mission, but there is more to be done than simply bringing him to the table. Not every nation within the Lima Group is going to agree with how to proceed on the subject of the presidency. It is important to keep in mind that many members of the Lima Group are facing their own problems at home, making it difficult to proritze the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. Not only that, but as time goes by, elections will shift how fellow members view the their role in the crisis. It is crucial to mobilize before the seams of the Lima Group are torn apart by outside tension.

This body needs strong leaders with well-constructed ideas. The image of the Lima Group is facing scrutiny as little to no action has been taken to remove Maduro. In recent weeks, the public is questioning whether or not the Lima Group is a united front. Your job is to prove them wrong. How far are you willing to go to restore the reputation of the Lima Group and solve the political crisis in

Venezuela once and for all? Questions to Consider

Please consider the following questions when drafting your position papers and preparing for committee. However, you are not limited to discussing these questions.

Feel free to use your own discretion on areas to research!

1. How can the Lima Group respond to the ongoing presidential crisis?

2. What actors are important to consider when making plans to respond to the crisis?

3. How can the Lima Group combat the military stronghold of resources and authority?

4. How can the Lima Group peacefully remove Maduro while still upholding democratic

principles?

5. Is military intervention a viable tactic for the Lima Group to remove Maduro? If not, what

other alternatives are there?

Intro to Topic Two: Lives of Venezuelan Citizens

Venezuela was once the richest country in South America, but now it is struggling with hyperinflation and significant resource shortages. The humanitarian crisis has been spiraling out of control for years now, and it’s projected that eighty percent of Venezuelan households do not have access to sufficient amounts of food. The healthcare system has failed to keep up with the amount of malnourished citizens, which has, in turn, led to one of the largest migration crises the world has seen. The purpose of the Lima Group is to institute a legitimate democracy within Venezuela and there is no way to do so without taking steps to diffuse the harms of the humanitarian crisis. There is also no way to ensure civilian safety without securing reliable leadership, a mission the Lima Group was founded on. This body cannot let the lives of civilians be pushed aside because of political turmoil. They are demanding action.

History of the Problem

The Crumbling Health Care System

One of the root causes of the migrant crisis is the lack of resources in Venezuela. The deterioration of the health care system began in 2014 when the economy began to plunge. Economic hardships forced Maduro to make a choice: he could either pay back debts to China, Russia, and other foreign investors or put down significant funds to alleviate the food shortages throughout the nation.

He chose to pay bills over saving lives, which has erupted into a humanitarian disaster. Food shortages have led to a surge in prices, meaning many vital goods and services are inaccessibility. In

2018, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) claimed that newborns in

Syria had a better chance of survival than in Venezuela.14 It is important to note that the Venezuelan government has not published statistics on nationwide nutrition since 2007. A number of non-governmental aid organizations have presented research all conveying a similar notion: children in Venezuela are dying from malnutrition at an alarmingly high rate and the international community is not doing enough about it.

The lack of proper medical care and nutrition intake has made Venezuelan citizens much more susceptible to treatable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and measles. The World Health

Organization (WHO) reported in 2009 there were 36,000 cases of malaria in Venezuela.15 As

14 https://www.mercycorps.org/articles/venezuela-crisis-quick-facts 15https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/11/15/venezuela-numbers-highlight-health-crisis#

History of the Problem

The Crumbling Health Care System (continued) of 2017, the number of cases skyrocketed to 414,000 resulting in the Venezuelan Health Ministry to declare the disease endemic within the nation.16 This is one of many diseases that as spread due to lack of government aid and resources. In addition, there has also been large rises in maternal and infant mortality rates — maternal mortality rose 65 percent and infant mortality rose 30 percent in

2016 alone.17 After this data on mortality was released to the public, the health minister who published these statistics was fired a few days later. There has no been any released data from the

Ministry of Health on epidemiological data since then.

16https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/11/15/venezuela-numbers-highlight-health-crisis# 17https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/04/04/venezuelas-humanitarian-emergency/large-scale-un-respo nse-needed-address-health

History of the Problem

The Migrant Crisis

Food and medicine scarcity is plaguing the lives of a majority of Venezuelan citizens which has led to over four million fleeing in hopes of finding a better life. The majority of migrants are seeking refuge in neighboring countries, such as Colombia and Brazil, in order to have their basic needs met. This has spread untreated diseases into surrounding nations. In 2018, Colombia received

5,094 cases of Venezuelan citizens fleeing to access medical care.18 One of the most alarming issues is that thousands of pregnant Venezuelan women have entered Colombia to give birth because they claim there is no prenatal care accessible in Venezuela. This heavy migration into Colombia is putting a strain on a country that is facing its own internal crisis. The increased competition for jobs — as

Venezuelan migrants will take jobs at much lower wages — is increasing tension in communities that were struggling to begin with.

18https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/04/04/venezuelas-humanitarian-emergency/large-scale-un-respo nse-needed-address-health

History of the Problem

Violence & Crime

On top of all else, the weakening of the Venezuelan state has led to immense amounts of violence. Every half hour, a person is killed in Venezuela. Venezuelan citizens are at risk of both violent attack on a day-to-day basis but also susceptible to being pulled into crime in order to survive.

It is important to note that over the past fews years there has been a large spread of systemic violence which is directly linked to the expansion of transnational drug trade and other criminal organizations.

For context, The number of drug flights out of the Venezuelan state of increased by 50 percent from 2017 to 2018.19 A fragile state has also led to the expansion of the National Liberation Army

(ELN) within Venezuela. The ELN is a Columbia guerilla paramilitary group that has been taking advantage of Venezuela states for decades, but as of 2018, they were found present in over half the country. The violence anc crime present in Venezuela is not only a threat to Venezuelan citizens, but a threat to regional stability as a whole.

19https://www.cfr.org/report/stabilizing-venezuela

Past Actions Taken There has been international action in order to mitigate the impacts of the humanitarian crisis, but lack of cooperation from the Maduro administration has prevented significant progress. Despite information coming from international aid organizations, Maduro denied for years that a humanitarian crisis was even taking place within his . In April 2019, Maduro finally agreed to have 24 tons of medical equipment brought into Venezuela by the Red Cross Association.20 Despite humanitarian aid being a necessity for Venezuelan citizens, the distribution of aid has become largely politicized and a point of contention between Guaido and Maduro. Before Maduro agreed to take in aid, Guaido organized a peaceful transition of aid into Venezuela through truck

21 envoys. Unfortunately, this ambitious plan ended with almost no supplies getting though as the trucks were blocked by armed loyalists of Maduro. This is another example of the opposition forces overestimating the military’s support for their movement as no military officials defected and defied Maduro’s instructions. If Guaido could successfully bring aid into the country opposition forces thought the people would have no choice but to support him.

This very sentiment is what brought Maduro to block aid in the first place and has led to poor distribution of vital resources to civilians who are in desperate need of assistance.

20 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/world/americas/venezuela-aid.html 21https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/world/americas/venezuela-aid--maduro.html?module=inline

Past Actions Taken

Taking action towards preventing the mass amount of violence in Venezuela is difficult when the Maduro administration continues to use violent tactics in order to get what they want. For example, in May 2019 Venezuelan authorities responded to massive demonstrations in support of

Juan Guaido with violence and widespread detentions, including targeted violence against journalists covering the protests.22 International organizations such as the Human Rights Watch as well as the

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have expressed high levels of concern for the administration use of force. Whether it be through ignoring health data or by inciting violence, the Maduro administration is at fault for the exacerbacion of these issues and the Lima

Group must step in or convince other actors to do so in a way in which civilian lives can be protected.

22https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/05/03/venezuela-violent-response-demonstrators

Topic 2 Closing Thoughts...

The mission of the Lima Group is to restore democracy to Venezuela. Although it is important to solve the political crisis, the Lima Group must address the humanitarian crisis unfolding within the borders of Venezuela and surrounding nations. As detailed in the history section, President Maduro has not only ignored the health crisis, but has actively inferred with the process of delivering aid to his citizens. In April 2019, the Lima Group has urged the to take action to help mitigate the humanitarian crisis yet little to no action has been taken. The lack of action can continue no longer. Innocent civilians in Venezuela are dying from diseases that should be easily treatable by modern medicine. Migrants are overflowing surrounding nations which is putting regional stability at risk. And crime has taken a new extreme.

It is up to the members of this committee to analyze not only what problems are plaguing the lives of Venezuelans, but how those problems arose in the first place. In order to solve a humanitarian crisis members must consider both long and short term solutions that will most likely be linked to solutions proposed in the first topic. The Lima Group is not just about propping up Guaido, it is also about fixing a broken system in Venezuela at its roots and in order to do so this group must work with international aid organizations as well as bodies like the United Nations. Engaging the international community is vital to success, but old strategies will no longer be enough. This topic requires unique ideas that are multilateral: being able to address the migrant crisis, crumbing health system, and issues of systemic violence. Questions to Consider

Please consider the following questions when drafting your position papers and preparing for committee. However, you are not limited to discussing these questions.

Feel free to use your own discretion on areas to research!

1. How can the Lima Group help provide resources and stabilize the economy?

2. What is the best way to manage the influx of refugees coming out of Venezuela?

3. How can we assure that resources are being directly given to citizens and not taken by the

Venezuelan forces?

4. What is the role of the United Nations and other international organizations in providing

humanitarian aid? And how has this role changed since Venezuela was granted a seat on the

Human Rights Council?

5. Do countries have an obligation to take in refugees? If so, how can the Lima Group assist in

this process? Dossiers

Argentina - Jorge Faurie Jorge Faurie was born in Santa Fe, Argentina and studied law at the Litoral National University. He has been involved in diplomacy for several years, in which he served for the Argentinian embassy in Venezuela, , , , Brazil, and Chile. This has allowed him to establish contacts in all of these countries, which may prove helpful in addressing the Venezuelan crisis. He was once accused of giving refuge to Jorge Luis Ochoa, a Colombian drug trafficker and associate of Pablo Escobar. He held a number of other positions before being appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture in 2017. He has criticized Nicolas Maduro’s regime, describing it as a self-election and a dictatorship which threatens regional security. Faurie has expressed his support for Juan Guaido and his desire to restore democracy in the nation.

Brazil - Ernesto Araújo Ernesto Araújo was born in Porto Alegre to a loving and very political family. His mother had a special adoration for him and always put his needs first. She stayed at home taking care of him, most of his life, while his father worked for the Brazilian military dictatorship as the Attorney General. He worked in on several occasions, which gave him the position of deputy chief at the Ottawa and Washington D.C. embassies in two separate instances. He was a First Class Minister in the Brazilian Foreign Service, which allowed him to coordinate Brazil’s participation in the Organization of American States (OAS). He also headed the economic section in the Brazilian Mission to the EU, as well as the Brazilian Embassy to . Loved, yet hated by some, he is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs for Brazil, which has given him the opportunity to heavily challenge Russia and China in their support of Nicolas Maduro’s regime. Araujo is an avid subscriber to conspiracy theories, which can be both a strength and a weakness in this committee.

Canada - Chrystia Freeland Chrystia Freeland was born in Peace River, Alberta, a small town in Canada. She comes from a family of farmers and lawyers with Ukrainian ancestry, who were involved in Canadian politics. She is the owner of her family farm, which allows her to contribute to agriculture, one of the most important activities for Peace River. She attended Harvard University for the bachelor’s degree, and the University of Oxford for her master’s degree. Freeland initially had a career in journalism, in which she worked for the Financial Times, , the Economics, The Globe and Mail, and Reuters. She ran for office as a candidate of the Liberal Party, and she won the election to represent a district in Toronto in the House of Commons. She later became the Minister of International Trade, which allowed her to take part in negotiations for the CETA in 2016. Freeland is the current Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada, in which she has focused on Canadian military operations abroad. She has condemned Nicolas Maduro’s regime for anti-democratic processes and election fraud. She is a proponent of sanctions against Venezuela, as well as humanitarian aid for the citizens. Dossiers

Chile - Roberto Ampuero Roberto Ampuero is a man of many talents who is passionate about writing and public policy. He has written a number of novels, which have been published in Latin America and . He was born in Valparaiso to a right-leaning family, whose father served in World War II for the exterior service of information of the United States. He was once married to Margarita Flores, the daughter of the former attorney general of the Cuban Revolution. He has lived in several places throughout his life, such as Chile, Cuban, Eas and West Germany, Sweden, Iowa, and Mexico City, which has allowed him to establish contacts and relationships in these areas of the world. During his lifetime, he has worked as a novelist, teacher and real estate agents, and has been a member of some left-leaning political organizations. He was part of Juventudes Comunistas, a communist political party in Chile. However, he abandoned the party as a result of his experience living in Cuba and started supporting right-leaning candidates publicly, especially during the 2009 Chilean presidential election. He then joined a centre-right political party called Evolución Política (or Evópoli for short). In 2010, he was appointed member of the National Council of Culture and Arts, of which he became president in 2013. In 2018, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile under President Sebastian Pinera, who recognizes Guaido as the President of Venezuela.

Colombia - Claudia Blum was born in , Colombia, but finished her high school education in the beautiful city of Boston, United States. Her father was killed by the FARC’s rebel forces, but this did not scare her away from Colombia. Her parents were very conservative, but she explored the left and started a political career associated to the . However, she started to become more conservative over the years. She became the President of the Senate as a member of , a centre-right political party. She supported former President Álvaro Uribe, who later appointed her as the head of the Delegation of Colombia to the United Nations. She has maintained this position until now; however, there are rumors around the highest political circles, that depending on her performance in the Lima Group, President Ivan Duque might offer her a new position within his cabinet. President Duque has been critical of the Venezuelan government on several occasions and has supported his removal from power. Dossiers

Costa Rica - Manuel Ventura Robles Manuel Ventura Robles was born in San Jose, Costa Rica and has been very private about his personal life. Therefore, he is a mysterious and successful man that has become one of the most important jurists of Costa Rica. He has written several books that circulate internationally, which in addition to his work in promoting and protecting human rights, has gained him international recognition and respect. He is a former judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, where he was able to develop concepts of jurisprudence, as well as States’ coercion and responsibility in terms of human rights issues. Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado has recently appointed him Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, who allowed Ventura to express his criticism of Nicolas Maduro’s regime and believes that the region has a responsibility to protect Venezuelan citizens from human rights violations. Ventura has even supported denouncing Maduro before the International Criminal Court. His presence in this committee will allow the body to maintain a human rights perspective when discussing different relevant issues.

Guatemala - Pedro Brolo Pedro Bolo is a Guatemalan economist, diplomat, and politician. Brolo is an entrepreneur and economist with a specialization in Human Rights, Climate Change, and Public Policies. He also obtained a degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Analysis and Reliability Management. He was CFO of the Organization of American States in Guatemala and advisor to the offices of and Honduras in the same organization. Brolo also worked as a Delegate for the Truth Commission in Honduras, and worked in the Congress of the Republic as a political analyst. Brolo will succeed Sandra Jovel as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Guatemala, making him the youngest Foreign Minister in the country’s history. His position in the Guatemalan government has given him access to the President of Guatemala, alongside many other members of the countries bureaucracy. Moreover, as Foreign Minister he has connections to the diplomatic representatives of other countries. Moreover, his economic background has allowed him to cultivate connections in academia and closely monitor and advise the country’s economic standing.

Guyana - Dr. Karen Cummings Dr. Karen Cummings is the Minister of Foreign Affairs for . She attended the University of Guyana and St. George’s University in , where she earned a Masters in Medicine and Public Health, and her Doctoral degree in Public Health. Her role in the government is extensive, as she participates in policy development, strategic planning, and the oversight of various programs. Prior to her work in the government, she worked as a primary care physician, and as a Regional Medical Superintendent for Region 4 of Guyana. One of her most important roles was that of the Chief of Party of the Guyana Safer Injection Project - USAID PEPFAR Project for two years. Given her connections to those in the public health industry, Cummings has access to medical professionals in South America and the Caribbean. Moreover, her position in the government places her at the forefront of matters related to Public Health giving her connections to many powerful members of the global health network and various NGOs. Dossiers

Honduras - Maria Dolores Agüero Maria Dolores Agüero is a Honduran diplomat and politician, who has an undying love for her brother and sister. She studied international law, investment, commerce, and arbitration. She began her career as a legal advisor for the Honduran Private Business Council, as well as an associate in a law firm. She became a legal advisor for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. After this experience, she decided to join the Diplomatic and Consular Service of Honduras, where she served as a representative in the Executive Committee of the System of Centroamerican Integration (SICA). She has represented Honduras in several United Nations Forums, as well as the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization of Ibero-American States (OIE), among others. In 2017, she started serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras

Mexico - Marcelo Ebrard Marcelo Ebrard is a descendant of French immigrants, whose father was an architect. He studied international relations in Mexico, but then moved to to study public administration. He has two daughters and a son and has been married three times. His three marriages have given him access to contacts in different industries, such as the acting industry and business consulting. Ebrards has had a history of political leftism, having joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the Party of the Democratic Center, the Party of the Democratic Revolution, and the National Regeneration Movement. He was a governor of the Federal District for six years, which allowed him to enact several leftist policies within the region, one of which was the expropriation of private property suspected of criminal activity, which has been criticized by some. Ebrard assisted President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (also known as AMLO) in his campaign, during which they establish a close and friendly relationship. AMLO then appointed him to his cabinet as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ebrard has not expressed support for Nicolas Maduro or Juan Guiado, but has encouraged dialogue.

Panama - Alejandro Ferrer Lopez Alejandro Ferrer Lopez is a Panamanian politician and lawyer. He graduated from Colegio La Salle and furthered his education at the Universidad Catolica Santa Maria La Antigua where he graduated Summa cum laude with a degree in Law and Political Science. He received a Doctorate in Law Science from the University of Michigan, as a Fullbright Scholar. In 1993 he served as a Legal Advisor to the Adhesion Commission of Panama before the GATT. He was a member of the Presidential Commission against Money Laundering from 1998-1999, and he also served as a member of the Council of Foreign Relations. In 1994-1995 he served as Permanent Ambassador to the WTO and Alternate Ambassador the the UN. In 2008, he received the title of Global Young Leader of the World Economic Forum and the Integrity Award. He’s been recognized as an entity with the greatest transparency in the obligation to inform by the Pro-Justice citizen Alliance. Since May 22nd of 2019, he has been acting as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama by President-elect Laurentino Cortizo Cohen. Given this, Lopez is a dedicated and loyal advocate of his government with connections and ties to the WTO and high ranking members of the United Nations. Moreover, he has access to the networks of the global economic and diplomatic communities. Dossiers

Paraguay - Eladio Loizaga Eladio Loizaga is a Paraguayan lawyer and diplomat. He studied law at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción, where he specialized in International Law, Civil Law, International Trade and Intellectual Property. He worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was a local promoter of the World Anti Communist League. In 1989-1992 he served as Cabinet Head of Staff for General Andres Rodriguez Pedotti. He was also a legislator and Paraguayan representative to the United Nations and WTO. In 2013 he was sworn in as Foreign Minister of Paraguay in the cabinet of President Horacio Cartes. He is a key advisor to the President of Paraguay and his extensive experience in the WTO and with the UN has contributed to his ability to navigate the foreign policy predicaments of Paraguay. As a lawyer, he is skilled at navigating the political landscape and understanding the implications of the actions and negotiations that are undertaken. He is recognized widely for his expertise in the sphere of Intellectual Property and has been an important advisor to the government of Paraguay regarding the protection of such property.

Peru - Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Gustavo Meza-Cuadra is the son of the Minister of Transportation of the military government of Juan Francisco Velasco after the Peruvian coup. He studied economics, international public policy, and diplomacy. This, in addition to his connections, has allowed him to develop a lengthy political and diplomatic career. He has held a number of positions throughout the years, including Permanent Representative of Peru for the United Nations. He represented Peru at the Security Council from 2018 to 2019. Meza-Cuadra is particularly concerned with the migratory crisis in the region as a result of the situation in Venezuela, due to the high volume of immigrants in Peru. While Peru has stated that they are committed to provide refuge for these immigrants, they also recognize the limitations of their resources. Meza-Cuadra has called for fair and free and an end to the oppression of Venezuelan citizens via peaceful solutions.

Saint Lucia - Sarah Flood-Beaubrun Sarah Flood-Beaubrun is a St. Lucian lawyer and politician. She studied at the University of Hull where she received a Bachelor of Laws and did postgraduate Law at the University of Westminster. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales and the Bar of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. In 1997, she was elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the Castries Central constituency. Flood-Beaubrun served as Minister of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations in the SLP administration. During her tenure as a Minister, she oversaw the construction of new correctional institutions, completed the revamping to international standards of the islands primary medical institution. Moreover, she established the 1st women’s support center for abused women, and the 1st Mother to Child HIV prevention transmission program in St. Lucia. She was the first female Speaker of the House Assembly and was appointed Deputy Permanent Representative for St. Lucia at the UN. The extent of her reach expands well across the Caribbean, and is recognized in the international community. Her ties to the UN and to the legal community in England makes her a powerful legal figure in the realm of international justice. Dossiers

Bolivia - Karen Longaric is a Bolivian lawyer, professor, columnist, and politician. She has been the chancellor of Bolivia since November of 2019. Prior to this she held the position of Director of International Organizations and Director of Legal Affairs and International Treaties in the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was educated at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres. She has also served as a professor of International Law at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. As a member of the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs she has access to the President of Bolivia and the diplomatic representatives of other countries. Her role in the government is that of navigating Bolivian foreign policy and the strategic implementation of policy in order to contribute to the stabilization of South America and the protection of Bolivian political aims.

Ecuador - Jose Valencia Amores Jose Valencia Amores is an Ecuadorian lawyer, diplomat, and professor. He graduated with a degree in Legal Sciences and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the Catholic University of Quito. He has also completed postgraduate studies at Harvard University for Political Science and Columbia University for Public Administration. He has spent much time working for the Ecuadorian government. During his tenure, he has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been the head of office in the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Undersecretariat of Political Affairs. He has also served as the Director of the United Nations Department, Chief of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Human Rights, and Director General of Multilateral Policy. His position in the Ecuadorian government and as a diplomat has resulted in multiple connections in various governments. He has garnered a reputation as a man of justice, honesty and defender of human rights.

Barbados - Jerome Walcott Jerome Walcott is a Barbadian surgeon, politician, current Senator, and avid fan of Rihanna. He graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1982 and is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. In regards to his career, he served as a Member of Parliament, Leader of Government Business in the Senate, and has served as the Minister of Health in the Owen Arthur Administration. Currently, he is serving as the Chairman of the Labour Party, he has been a member of the National Executive Council for many years prior and has been serving on various subcommittees. Outside of politics, he has been a Consultant Surgeon at the QEH. His management skills have been called on repeatedly. He has served with the National Insurance Medical tribunal, the Sanitation Service Authority, Chairman of the Transport Board and President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners, (BAMP). Dossiers

United States - Mike Pompeo Mike Pompeo was born in Orange, California, to a family with Italian ancestry. He obtained an engineering degree and served in the United States Armyfor five years, before attending Harvard Law School for his law degree. Pompeo is a man of many talents and interests, for he also owned an aircraft manufacturing business and became the head of the CIA. This has allowed him to establish contacts in many sorts of areas, including government, intelligence, and the military. He then ran as a Republican for one of the Kansas seats in the House of Representatives, a position that the held from 2011 to 2017. In 2018, President Donald Trump Appointed him as Secretary of State. Just like the Trump administration, Pompeo has been in favor of sanctions against Nicolas Maduro’s regime, and recognized Juan Guaido as the legitimate President of Venezuela. He has been pressuring the regime into allowing humanitarian aid to enter the country; however, he has refused on several occasions. He has stated that more sanctions will be imposed and that Maduro’s days in power are counted. Pompeo is a resourceful man and is determined to bring justice to Venezuela.

Grenada - Peter David Peter David is a Grenadian politician. He is the Deputy General Secretary of the New , a member of the House of Representatives from the Town of Saint George constituency, and has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from July 2008 to November 2010. David was elected to the House of Representatives as an NDC candidate from St. George in the November 2003 general election. The New National Party repeatedly went to court in attempts to prevent David from serving in Parliament, using the argument that he is a citizen of Canada, but these efforts were rejected. In the 2008 general election, David was re-elected and became the Minister of Tourism and Foreign Affairs. He is dedicated to the people of Grenada and has been known to be a passionate advocate for bringing tourism to the nation, in an effort to advance the country’s economic standing. Because of the debate over his eligibility to serve in the government he has many political enemies. However, this has not diminished his commitment to Grenada.

Jamaica - Kamina Johnson-Smith Kamina Johnson-Smith is a Jamaican attorney and politician. She is a member of the Jamaican Labour Party and is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in the second Holness cabinet. Since 2012, Johnson-Smith is also a member of the Senate. Born in Jamaica, Johnson-Smith is one of four children of the former diplomat Anthony Johnson. She received a Master of Laws in Commercial Law from the London School of Economics, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies, and a Bachelor of Arts in French and International Relations from the University of the West Indies. Dossiers

Uruguay - Rodolfo Nin Novoa Rodolfo Nin Novoa is a Uruguayan politician who is the Chancellor of . He was formerly the Vice from 2005 to 2010 and is the leader of the Progressive Alliance. Since March of 2015 he is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. He is a member of the National Party and mayor in his department. He joined the Frente Amplio in 1994. Novoa has been a strong advocate for the prevention of the privatization of water supplies and other services, amidst fears of its effects on users living in the interior of the country. Nin Novoa was Vice President of Uruguay from 2005 to 2010. He is also head of the Progressive Alliance, which is considered to be one the the rightmost groups of the and the Christian Democratic Party. He has served and worked alongside some of the more conservative members and as a result he has various connections to both sides of the . His high ranking position has also placed him at the forefront of politics and alongside high ranking members in the Uruguayan political sphere.

El Salvador - Alexandra Hill Tinoco Alexandra Hill Tinoco is a Salvadoran politician, who is soon to take an oath as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of . She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Boston University, where she studied political science and latin american studies. She also attended Johns Hopkins University, where she completed her postgraduate degrees in public health with a concentration in violence, crime, and drug prevention. Throughout her political career, she has spearheaded public policy initiatives related to mental health, drug and violence prevention, social cohesion, socio-economic development, making an emphasis on bilateral relationships with Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. During these initiatives, she had to work with the State Department of the United States, the ONDCP, the UNODC, the OMS, among many other organizations in she was able to obtain contacts and develop long-lasting professional relationships.

Venezuela - Julio Borges was born in Caracas, Venezuela to Spanish parents who were exiled due to the Spanish Civil War in 1947. His mother studied and developed bioanalysis and cytotechnology. Borges studied political and social philosophy in Boston College and obtained a Master’s degree in public policy and Latin American studies at the University of Oxford. He is the founder of Primero Justicia (), a centrist political party concerned with the deterioration of the judicial branch in Venezuela. He has been a congressman at the National Assembly in three different occasions, and was elected President of the National Assembly for 2017-2018. He was accused of having organized an attack on Nicolas Maduro in August of 2018. After Juan Guaido took the oath of office to become the acting President of Venezuela, Borges was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. His goal is to coordinate international support for Venezuela, in any form, in order to achieve freedom for the nation. Julio Borges has been invited as the official representative of Venezuela in the Lima Group. Dossiers

Belize - Wilfred Peter "Sedi" Elrington Wilfred Erlington was born in Belize City, British Honduras (now Belize) and has had a long history of political involvement in the country. He is the only belizean who has served in all branches of government---executive, legislative, and judicial. He served as a member of the Belize House of Representatives, as a part-time judge for the Supreme Court of Belize, as the Attorney-General of Belize, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He held the last two positions simultaneously from 2008 to 2010 and kept the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs until now. He has had a vital role in the resolution of the Guatemala-Belize territorial dispute, as he has been able to create connections and gain the respect of Guatemalan officials involved in the issue. His dedication and service to his nation have gained him the admiration of many, both from government officials and civilians, which has allowed him to create relationships that benefit him easily. Elrington understands the gravity of the Venezuelan crisis, for Belize has benefited from the oil alliance .

Dominican Republic - Miguel Vargas Miguel Vargas is a Dominican Civil Engineer, businessman, and politician. He is currently the chairman of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and current Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is the son of Pedro Antonio Rivera, an agro-industrial businessman and politician. Vargas studied at the University of where he pursued a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering. His political career began in the 1970s when he was a member of the Dominican Revolutionary Party. In the party he has served as the Vice President, member of the Presidium, a member of the National Executive Committee (CEN) and the Political Commission and National Secretary of Finance. He is currently the president of the PRD. He is also president of the "Socialist International for Latin America and the Caribbean" and, since 2013, vice president of the International Socialist worldwide.

Organization of American States - Luis Almagro Luis Almagro was born in Cerro Chato, Uruguay. He is married to a South African woman named Marianne Birkholtz and has seven kids. He obtained a law degree from the University of . He has had a long career in politics and diplomacy, in which he served as the Uruguayan ambassador to China and a Uruguayan representative for Iran and Germany. He also served as the Foreign Minister of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015, a position in which he was able to get Uruguay international recognition for their financial support to the United Nations peacekeepers. He also worked on several initiatives, such as receiving Guantanamo Bay prisoners and several Syrian families in Uruguay. He also participated in the process of reconstruction of after the 2010 earthquake. He became the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS). Almagro has stated that every option, including military, must remain on the table to address the situation in Venezuela. Dossiers

European Union - Jolita Butkevičienė Jolita Butkeviciene is the director for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Directorate General for Cooperation and Development of the European Commission. With an ongoing portfolio of operations that is close to 3000 million euros and an annual budget of 700 million euros, its Directorate is responsible for all bilateral, regional and thematic cooperation in the two American sub-regions. She joined the European Commission in 2007 where she has since assumed different management positions. Prior to this she worked at the UN Conference on Trade and Development in the area of trade affairs, negotiations and service development. Her training in the field of Quantitative Economics and Law, and in international trade negotiations have marked her professional career.

Special Adviser for Venezuela of the EU High Representative - Enrique V. Iglesias Enrique V. Iglesias was born in Asturias, Spain, but moved to Uruguay with his parents in 1934, thereby receiving both Uruguayan and Spanish citizenship. He attended the University of Uruguay, where he earned degrees in economics and business administration. He later became the president of Uruguay’s Central Bank, and subsequently the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). His performance was particularly outstanding at the IDB, where he increased the bank’s capital significantly. Iglesias is an advocate of open markets and multilateralism. He later became the Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat and a member of the Global Leadership Foundation. He was recently appointed as Special Adviser for Venezuela by the EU High Representative to seek a democratic and peaceful solution to the Venezuelan crisis. He has been a proponent of free and fair elections.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - Kelly T. Clements Kelly Clements is currently serving as the Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees. She comes from a rich family of scientists, which makes her the first to dedicate herself to international affairs. Her family owns several labs that focus on biotechnology. An American citizen, Clements attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a master’s degree in urban affairs. She previously served as the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, as well as Director of Policy and Resource Planning in the Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration. She also served as Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in the US embassy in Beirut. She also served as the US Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Senior Emergency Officer for Europe, the Americas, and Newly Independent States. She has held a number of other positions, which makes her an asset to address the Venezuelan stiduation, as well as the imminent refugee crisis. Dossiers

Journalist - Jaime Bayly Jaime Bayly was born in Lima, Peru to a family of diverse interests and careers, such as politics, entrepreneurship, mining, banking, and writing. He has a very close relationship with his grandparents, whom he lived with for a year of his adolescence. He is a very famous political commentator, writer and journalist, and is very well connected with the inner circles of Latin American governments. In 2018, he stated that he had previous knowledge of the murder attempt against Nicolas Maduro, and supported the men who carried out the attack. Therefore, he is also well connected with the opposition forces in Venezuela. While he was criticized for these statements, he contends that he is a proponent of freedom. He has his own TV show called the Bayly Show, in which he comments on the current political atmosphere in Latin America. He has been especially critical of Maduro, who has verbally attacked Bayly on several occasions. Useful Resources for Research!

TOPIC #1: Power Struggle in Venezuela 1. BBC Timelines 2. Reuters 3. Lima Group Formal Declarations 4. Aljazeera

TOPIC #2: Lives of Venezuelan Citizens

1. Human Rights Watch Reports 2. World Health Organization Data 3. Mercy Corps Reports 4. CNN Business Bibliography

Bellos, Alex. “Chavez Rises from Very Peculiar Coup.” , Guardian News and Media, 15 Apr. 2002, www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/15/venezuela.alexbellos.

Berlinger, Joshua. “As Guaido Admits He Needs More Military Support, Trump Warns of Worse to Come in Venezuela.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 May 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/americas/venezuela-maduro-guaido-intl/index.html.

Cameron, Maxwell A., and Flavie Major. “Venezuela's Hugo Chavez: Savior or Threat to Democracy.” Latin American Research Review, vol. 36, no. 3, 2001, pp. 255–266. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2692130.

Casey, Nicholas, et al. “Some Aid From Brazil Pierces Venezuela's Blockade, but Deadly Violence Erupts.” , The New York Times, 23 Feb. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/world/americas/venezuela-aid-border-maduro.html?module=inline.

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Coronel, Gustavo. “The Corruption of Democracy in Venezuela.” Cato Institute, 23 July 2018, www.cato.org/publications/commentary/corruption-democracy-venezuela.

Ellsworth, Brian. “How a Military Overhaul in Venezuela Keeps Troops Standing by Maduro.” Reuters Investigates, Reuters, 28 July 2019, www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/venezuela-military/.

Kurmanaev, Anatoly, and Ana Vanessa Herrero. “After Years of Denial, Venezuela's President Allows Aid to Enter.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/world/americas/venezuela-aid.html.

Lansberg-Rodríguez, Daniel. “Coup Fatigue in Caracas.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 15 Mar. 2015, foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/15/coup-fatigue-in-caracas-venezuela-maduro/.

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Melimopoulos, Elizabeth. “Venezuela, the Military, and Its Support: An Explainer.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 23 Feb. 2019, www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/venezuela-military-support-explainer-190222210148032.html.

O'Brien, Rosalba. “Guaido vs Maduro: Who Is Backing Whom in Venezuela?” Reuters, Reuters, 30 Apr. 2019, www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-support-factbox/guaido-vs-maduro-who-is-backing-whom-in-v enezuela-idUSKCN1S62DY.

Prichard, Meghan. “Quick Facts: Venezuela's Humanitarian Crisis.” Mercy Corps, Mercy Corps, 21 Sept. 2019, www.mercycorps.org/articles/venezuela-crisis-quick-facts.

Schreiber, Melody. “Researchers Are Surprised By The Magnitude Of Venezuela's Health Crisis.” NPR, NPR, 5 Apr. 2019, www..org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/04/05/709969632/researchers-are-surprised-by-the-magnitude-of- venezuelas-health-crisis.

Strønen, Iselin Åsedotter. “‘A Civil-Military Alliance’: The Venezuelan Armed Forces before and during the Chávez Era.” Chr. Michelson Institute, 2016, www.cmi.no/publications/5808-a-civil-military-alliance.

United States, Congress, Global Affairs, and Chrystia Freeland. “Lima Group Declaration February 04, 2019.” Lima Group Declaration February 04, 2019, Global Affairs Canada, 2019, pp. 1–1.

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“Venezuela's Humanitarian Emergency: Large-Scale UN Response Needed to Address Health and Food Crises.” Human Rights Watch, 11 Apr. 2019, www.hrw.org/report/2019/04/04/venezuelas-humanitarian-emergency/large-scale-un-response-needed-addr ess-health.

Watts, Jonathan. “Nicolás Maduro Narrowly Wins Venezuelan Presidential Election.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Apr. 2013, www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/15/nicolas-maduro-wins-venezuelan-election.