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A high-stakes gathering of former presidents from Latin America and Europe will take place on October 17, 2024, at Miami Dade College, in response to the escalating political and social turmoil in Venezuela. The IX Presidential Dialogue, featuring at least ten former heads of state, aims to address the fallout from Venezuela’s contested July 28 elections, where Nicolás Maduro falsely claimed victory despite clear evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won by a wide margin.

This year’s dialogue is especially significant, as Venezuela teeters on the brink of a complete collapse. Former Ecuadorian President Jamil Mahuad warned that without immediate intervention, the country could plunge the entire region into political and economic chaos. He posed a stark question: if Maduro refuses to relinquish power after such a decisive electoral defeat, what example does this set for other authoritarian regimes across Latin America?

Mahuad didn’t mince words in describing Venezuela’s crisis as the “most colossal economic disaster” in the region’s history, born from a toxic mix of corruption, incompetence, and ideological extremism. He emphasized that the July elections were a clear mandate for change, yet Maduro’s regime continues to defy the democratic will, driving millions of Venezuelans into desperate exile. A staggering 68% of Venezuelans plan to flee the country in the coming months, according to a report by the Venezuelan Diaspora Observatory.

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The meeting will delve into the critical legal, political, and informational battles being waged by the opposition. Despite overwhelming evidence of Maduro’s defeat, backed by international observers, the regime has tightened its grip on power, forcing González Urrutia into exile and opposition leader María Corina Machado into hiding. Yet, as Mahuad noted, the international community overwhelmingly recognizes the opposition’s