May 16, 2021 Share
In preparation for the upcoming November 7, 2021 general elections, Nicaragua’s National Assembly passed amendments to its election law on May 4, 2021 and named a new slate of Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) magistrates. The amendments are unlikely to meet the Organization of American States (OAS) minimum standard for democratic reforms, which requires the implementation of guarantees for free, equal, open, and competitive elections, implying that the US, the European Union, and others will likely introduce additional sanctions this year.
Changes to election laws have been enacted in order to restrict opposition involvement in future elections. On May 5, the Electoral Law (No. 331) was released in Nicaragua’s Official Record (La Gaceta), indicating that it had been signed by the President and was in effect. Any political groups, political alliances, and opposition candidates, including those who have engaged in or sponsored anti-government demonstra
Then came an announcement that the so-called “Citgo 6” were being released from a Venezuelan prison to house arrest, a clear overture to U.S. officials who have long criticized Caracas’ 2017 detention on corruption charges of the six executives from Houston-based Citgo Petroleum a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company.
The Biden administration was still analyzing the “Citgo 6” move when Mr. Maduro made headlines again by announcing that two stalwart members of Venezuela’s opposition including a formerly jailed activist would be allowed to fill seats on the country’s National Electoral Council.
“Maduro is trying to get Washington’s attention,” said Geoff Ramsey, who heads the Venezuela program at the Washington Office on Latin America. “The question is what can Washington give in return to induce even greater concessions from him?”
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Juan Gonzalez and Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Julie Chung will travel April 11 to 15 to Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay to engage with government officials. In Bogota, they will discuss economic recovery, security and rural development, the Venezuelan migrant crisis, and Colombia’s regional climate leadership. In Argentina and Uruguay, they will discuss regional priorities, including addressing the challenges of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to democracy, human rights, and security in our hemisphere and around the world.
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April 09, 2021 • Press Briefings
Date Time
Acting Assistant Secretary Chung Travels to Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay
Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Julie Chung will accompany Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council Juan Gonzalez on travel to Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay, April 11-15, to engage with government officials. In Bogota, they will discuss economic recovery, security and rural development, the Venezuelan migrant crisis, and Colombia’s regional climate leadership. In Argentina and Uruguay, they will discuss regional priorities, including addressing the challenges of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to democracy, human rights, and security in our hemisphere and around the world.
The White House
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Juan Gonzalez and Department of State Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Julie Chung will travel April 11 to 15 to Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay to engage with government officials. In Bogota, they will discuss economic recovery, security and rural development, the Venezuelan migrant crisis, and Colombia’s regional climate leadership. In Argentina and Uruguay, they will discuss regional priorities, including addressing the challenges of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to democracy, human rights, and security in our hemisphere and around the world.