Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Agenda 8:00 Registration of Round Table guests and observers Breakfast 9:00 Welcome by Frank Gaffney - CEO Center for Security Policy Agenda by Michael Rowan & Luis Fleischman - Moderators Statements by: US Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz US Sen. Marco Rubio US Sen. Bill Nelson 9:30 Address by: US Rep. Mario Diaz Balart 9:40 Presentation by: Luis Fleischman and Michael Rowan 10:10 Presentation by Russ Dallen - Caracas Capital Markets/Latin American Herald Tribune 10:15 Coffee break 10:30 Round Table guests speak (1 to 2 minutes each, please) 12:00 Wrap Up by Michael Rowan, Luis Fleischman & Frank Gaffney Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Round Table Questionnaire Do you agree or disagree that: There is no military, violent solution comment to the current crisis. Violence only generates more violence in return. So the path to pursue is one of rebuilding trust, institutions, the rule of law and democracy, no matter how difficult the task. Agree Disagree Unsure Venezuela has a history of comment democracy and a culture of individualism that fundamentally unites the population. The class warfare, polarization and conflict generated since 1998 were fabricated in order to fool people and get power. So a government for all Venezuelans remains a very powerful proposition. Agree Disagree Unsure Venezuela’s operating model comment establishes state monopolies with absolute discretion to use public power and money secretly. To succeed for all, Venezuela needs to deconstruct the state monopolies and separate governing powers to prevent corruption, theft, despotism and secrecy. Agree Disagree Unsure US (and other nations’) sanctions comment of Venezuela’s criminal use of power will put pressure on the government’s illegal activity and cash flow, to the point of financial collapse, which may lead it to ask independent Venezuelans trusted by world investors to help fix the economic and financial mess the government has created. Agree Disagree Unsure Independent Venezuelans need comment to have a strategy to engage the period between now and the next election showing all the people of Venezuela that they can lead the way toward solving the economic and social crises that are sinking the ship of state today. Independent Venezuelans must tolerate the government the way the government does not tolerate them if all Venezuelans are to come to trust Independents to lead. Agree Disagree Unsure Thank you. All opinions will remain anonymous. If you care to identify yourself for further discussion, please do so: Note: Please provide this questionnaire to staff at the Round Table. Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Action Plan Name: Address: Email: Telephone: Websites, blogs, networks and organizations you contribute to or communicate with regularly: Your Knowledge and Work – Background and Experience: Foreign or Domestic Corporations that have done significant business in Venezuela and that you are very familiar with: Your Political Experience – Public Service, Campaigns, Supporter/Contributor: Your interest in helping PRESSURE SANCTIONS & STRATEGY campaign is high, medium, or low – in your own words: Your personal contacts that may be useful with officials or opinion leaders in Vatican, US, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and also Chile, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Argentina, CARICOM nations, Spain, France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, China, South Korea or ……. Your personal contacts in media that may be helpful: Can you help the development of www.PressureSanctionsAndStrategy.org and if so, how? In the coming months are you Emails willing to participate with the Tweets campaign via: Telephone calls Meetings with the public or officials Organization of activities Management of tasks Networking for sponsors and support Fundraising Your comments, critique, suggestions, observations Thank you! Note: Please provide this Action Plan paper to staff at the Round Table. Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Fact Sheet Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Senate & House Bills SENATE BILL - S.2142 “Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014” introduced by Senators Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Bill Nelson (D-Florida) and Mark Kirk (R-Illinois). For details: http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2142/text HOUSE BILL - H.R. 4229, “Venezuelan Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act,” introduced by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and 18 others including Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida) and Mario Diaz Balart. For details: http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4229 Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Venezuela’s Problem-Solution Problem Monopoly + Discretion Accountability = Corruption FUNDAMENTAL GOV owns and GOV does GOV actions GOV is corrupted controls all whatever are secret it wants POLITICAL No separation No checks No independent Klepto-cracy, of powers and balances elections or GOV sanctions, audits rogue nation ECONOMIC Cuts investment, Increases Theft with impunity Economic failure, production & inflation, debt sanctions, rogue growth and capital flight nation Solution Monopoly Discretion + Accountability = Democracy FUNDAMENTAL Separate Institutionalize / Provide Create a government enforce checks transparency for government powers, and balances all transactions for all citizens de-monopolize systems POLITICAL Balance the CNE, Free political Sunshine, End of Polarization, privatize media, & prisoners, stop transparency, start of government tolerate dissent torture, end independent audits for all impunity ECONOMIC Free trade, fair Market sets Transparency in Robust economic investment policy, prices not all transactions growth obey the law government For more information, contact Michael Rowan | [email protected] Thought Leaders Round Table - Sat. 17 May - FIU - Miami Letter to Insulza Jose Miguel Insulza General Secretary Organization of American States Dear Secretary Insulza, As you already know the current situation in Venezuela is unsustainable. Civil, human and political rights of Venezuelan citizens have been systematically violated for several years. In Venezuela the population is intimidated every day. Freedom of the press is restricted. Justice is seized by the absolute power of the President. Attacks on unions, demonization of political dissidents, arbitrary disqualification of political candidates, and a general atmosphere of intolerance prevail. In addition, Venezuela has experienced an extreme climate of violence. The government has promoted violence by strengthening armed paramilitaries that carry out systematic repression and also criminal acts that have already placed Venezuela among the countries with the highest rates of violence in the world. Likewise, Venezuela has prisoners who are being held without due process and has sent many people into exile. There is no democratic nation in the world that maintains such a negative record. The situation continues to become ever more serious. The ruling party justifies its brutal repression of those who legitimately express their discontent by attributing the protests to external force or non-existent conspiracies. The government assumes no responsibility for its poor performance, which among other things, is expressed in the current shortage of commodities, an abysmal devaluation of its currency, and an inflation rate above 56%. The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, the European Union, the Democratic Alliance Parliamentary America (APDA), the Club of Madrid (representing 96 former presidents and prime ministers of democratic countries), the United States, Canada and 9 Latin American countries have expressed concern about the situation in Venezuela. Additionally, human rights groups such as Amnesty International, the Human Rights Foundation and Human Rights Watch have expressed similar sentiments. However, we have observed that the Organization of American States has refused to rule this assault on democracy in Venezuela and has defined the issue as an internal matter. This attitude by the OAS is undeserving to the Venezuelan people and contradicts the spirit of the democratic charter of the OAS. In the past the OAS imposed punitive measures on countries that violated democracy and we do not understand why Venezuela should be exempted from that rule. We urge you to use your leadership and consider sending a clear message that the OAS will not tolerate violations of human rights and democracy. We also urge the OAS to demand that the government of Venezuela dismantle its repressive apparatus, particularly its paramilitaries. We also request the OAS use its influence to make sure that the government of Venezuela ceases its abuse of power towards its citizens, the judiciary, the opposition, and the free press. We further urge the OAS to demand the freedom of students and political prisoners in Venezuela. Last but not least, we request that the OAS ensure a fair, democratic process clean and free of corruption and violence in Venezuela. Signatories Venezolanos en Palm Beach County Unidos Donde Sea - Palm Beach County Amavex- Asociacion de Madres Venezolanas en el Exilio Fundacion Mujer con Voluntad Campana Internacional “Juzgar a Chavez” Avanext - Ayudando a Venezuela Desde el Exterior Justice Shall be for All.org Madres Venezolanas en el Exterior Mujer con Voluntad Veppez - Perseguidos Politicos en el Exterior Venezuela in the Carolina