When our program started in 2006, Caracas and Washington were in a shouting match.  U.S. policy makers were determined to polarize our relations in the region between those nations that supported Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and those who didn’t.  At first, we looked for opportunities to create a positive dialogue between leaders in Venezuela and the United States, and also studied efforts by the Chavez government to provide social welfare and political power to Venezuela’s poor.

The circumstances on the ground in both capitals have started to change.  Politics in Venezuela is different after the defeat of the constitutional referendum backed by President Chavez.  As a result, we are focused on the future of Chavismo and the evolution of Venezuela’s political opposition, and seeing a more nuanced approach coming from U.S. policymakers.

CDA has led seven delegations to Venezuela since our program began, and this is an especially important time to travel there.  We are also focused on the important national security and economic issues facing both nations – considering the impact of high oil prices here, the continuing availability of revenue for social projects, and the Chavez government’s pursuit of its foreign policy goals.

We will continue to work with Venezuelans to introduce them to Congress members to broaden and deepen the conversation between them. We remain a source of information on Venezuela through Caracas Connect and our trip reports. Here, you can read a trip report about a recent delegation to Venezuela.