Venezuela Talks

David Smilde, Charles A. and Leo M. Favrot Professor of Human Relations in the Department of Sociology, co-wrote “Negotiating Venezuela’s Transition,” an opinion piece in The New York Times about Venezuela’s current political conflict and preliminary talks between the democratic opposition and the country’s government that took place in May. Smilde wrote that it is a first step toward a democratic transition. “Many remain skeptical of ‘dialogue,’ but negotiation and compromise between the conflicting parties is key. To explore whether such compromises can be achieved requires creating space and other conditions for discreet conversations, even while confrontations between the incumbent regime and the opposition continue.”

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