Institute of Politics

IOP Pritzker Fellow Katie Tobin on "Venezuela: Confronting the Largest Displacement Crisis in the World" THIS SEMINAR IS OPEN TO CURRENT UCHICAGO STUDENTS ONLY Tuesday, November 12 3:30-4:45pm During my three years covering migration for President Biden, Venezuela was our number one challenge. With 7.7 million people displaced, Venezuela is the largest displacement crisis in the world, surpassing even Ukraine and Syria in its magnitude. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most Venezuelans settled in South America. In 2021, the Darien Gap was breached, and Venezuelans started coming north as well. This has overwhelmed the entire region and is impacting cities like Chicago. We will first look at how the U.S. and its partners are addressing the root causes of migration from Venezuela, including U.S. sanctions policies, the Barbados Accords and other efforts to encourage free and fair elections in the country. We will also look at the humanitarian response outside of Venezuela, drawing from my personal experiences on the ground with the UN in 2017-2019, and more recently as U.S. diplomat, grappling with the challenge around tables with foreign leaders. Special Guest: Génesis Dávila, IOP Pritzker Fellow, Human Rights Lawyer & Founder and President of Defiende Venezuela Pritzker Fellows seminars are off the record and open to current UChicago students only. Seating in the IOP Living Room is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact Sarah Palmisciano (spalmisciano@uchicago.edu).