Thursday, March 13, 2025
The Collapse of Venezuela: Scorched Earth Politics and Economic Decline with Francisco Rodríguez
DCFR Global Speaker Series
Speaker: Francisco Rodríguez
Date: March 13, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Central Denver Location (Please register for location details)
Relevant Book for Discussion
Description of Event
Do you wonder why so many recent migrants to the Denver area are from Venezuela? Weren’t things supposed to get better there after Chavez died? How can a country with the largest crude oil reserves in the world suffer from a continuing economic crisis?
Join DCFR for a timely and compelling discussion on Venezuela, exploring its complex history, economic struggles, and the ongoing migration crisis. Francisco Rodríguez, a leading Venezuelan economist, will share insights from his forthcoming book, The Collapse of Venezuela: Scorched Earth Politics and Economic Decline, and discuss how Venezuela’s past shapes its present dire economic straits, which fueled the recent migration to the United States. Korbel School of International Studies Dean Fritz Mayer will join Professor Rodriguez for a “fireside chat” which will also address the influx of Venezuelan immigrants to Denver and Aurora, and the impact of recent dramatic changes in federal immigration enforcement on Venezuelan migrants. With over 40,000 Venezuelan migrants arriving in Colorado over the last two years, Colorado has the highest per capita number of Latin American migrants of any non-border state.
Professor Rodriguez will walk us through the factors that have led to the current situation in Venezuela and what is happening there today—and how it impacts us here in the United States. Through that lens, he will examine the current U.S. administration’s policies on immigration and mass deportations. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this critical issue.
Agenda of Event
5:00 pm ~ Cocktails and networking
6:00 pm ~ Start dinner seating
6:05 pm ~ Brief welcome / Dinner service starts
7:00 pm ~ Speaker Introduction
7:45 pm ~ Audience questions
8:00 pm ~ Ending Announcements by DCFR
Bio of Speaker
Rodríguez is currently the Rice Family Professor of the Practice of International and Public Affairs.
He is a Venezuelan economist with decades of experience in public service, academia and the private sector. Prior to joining Korbel, he taught economics and public policy at the University of Maryland, Wesleyan University, and the University of Notre Dame. Rodríguez has held prominent positions in the public and private sector, including head of the Economic and Financial Advisory of the Venezuelan National Assembly (2000-2004), head of the Research Team of the United Nations’ Human Development Report Office (2008-2011) and chief Andean economist of Bank of America (2011-2016). He has been a visiting researcher at the International Monetary Fund and a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
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