#DemocracyDrinks: Sovereignty, stabilization, and the Venezuelan question

The future of post-Maduro Venezuela: democratic transition or externally managed rule?
Six months after the U.S. operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from office, the basic question of what Venezuela is (politically and legally) remains unsettled. Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s vice president, sits in the presidential chair. Several senior figures from the previous government remain in their posts. Chevron is signing agreements in Caracas. Commercial flights have resumed. Political prisoners are being released in batches, while hundreds are still subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment. Almost 8 million people are in dire need on humanitarian assistance. And the U.S. administration has stated it will “run the country” until a transition it considers ‘acceptable’ can be organised.

This edition of #DemocracyDrinks examines whether what is unfolding meets the conventional definition of a democratic transition, or whether it more closely resembles the post-intervention administrative arrangements seen in other contexts, where formal sovereignty coexisted with substantial external decision-making over security, economic policy, and institutional design. The two are not mutually exclusive, and the literature on post-conflict state-building suggests that the distinction often becomes legible only in retrospect.

Meet the speaker:

Victoria Capriles, visiting research fellow at the Asser Institute and researcher, legal practitioner, and human rights advocate specializing in international migration, gender-based violence, and forced displacement from Venezuela, will explore:

• From an international human rights law point of view: what frameworks actually govern the current arrangement, what role UN mechanisms have played or been sidelined from, and how transitional justice is (or isn’t) being structured.
• From the practitioner side: how donor priorities, partnership architectures, and stakeholder engagement shape the realities on the ground, often more decisively than formal political settlements.

Cecilia Rivero, peacebuilding and governance professional based in The Hague, with experience in program management, partnership development, and facilitation across Venezuela and internationally, will be the moderator of this event.

Come ready to ask uncomfortable questions and leave with a more grounded understanding of one of the most complex political moments of our time.

What are the #DemocracyDrinks?

#DemocracyDrinks is an informal, recurring conversation and networking series bringing together people working on democracy, peace, justice, and democratic participation.

The format is intentionally simple: open, dialogue-led conversations in a relaxed setting. #DemocracyDrinks The Hague provides space to connect across sectors, test ideas, explore emerging questions, and reflect collectively on democratic challenges beyond formal panels or presentations.

Launched by Defend Democracy in Brussels in 2018, #DemocracyDrinks now takes place in cities around the world. Editions in The Hague have brought together a diverse mix of practitioners from NGOs, international institutions, think tanks, government, and civil society. The Hague series is co-organised by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), and The Hague Humanity Hub (THHH).

Interested in hosting your own edition? Apply here.

Photos – disclaimer.

Please note that a photographer and/or videographer may be present during #DemocracyDrinks. Images may be used by partner organisations for communication and promotional purposes, including social media and future event promotion. By attending, you consent to this use. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting democracydrinksthehague@gmail.com and specifying the event. Thank you for your cooperation!