The Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic cordially invites you to a public discussion entitled: “Breaking the Dictators’ Cycle in Minsk and Caracas: Female Leadership and the USA Commitment”.
As authoritarian regimes in both Belarus and Venezuela continue to entrench themselves, a distinctive and powerful phenomenon has emerged: the rise of female leaders who have stepped into the vacuum created by the imprisonment or exile of their peers. This event will explore the strategic role of women, such as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and María Corina Machado, in spearheading movements for liberty and the critical role of international, specifically U.S., diplomatic commitment.
The discussion will provide an in-depth look at the 2025/2026 geopolitical landscape, including the dynamics of political prisoner releases and the structural resilience of these democratic movements. The debate will focus on the “glass cliff” of female leadership in crisis, the political calculus behind systemic repression, and the growing trans-regional solidarity between Eastern Europe and Latin America.
📅 April 7, 2026
🕔 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Anglo-American University, Letenská 120/5, 118 00 Praha 1 – Malá Strana
Program (may be subject to minor adjustments):
Opening Remarks:
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, President-elect of Belarus (BLR) – video address
- Kryscina Šyjanok, Head of the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic (BLR)
- Jan Darmovzal, Former political prisoner in Venezuela (CZE)
Panelists:
- Lizaveta Zhuchkova, Political scientist and niece of a released political prisoner (BLR)
- Felipe Torres Gianvittorio, Journalist at LatAm Explained (VEN)
- Luis Solano, Economist (VEN)
- Veronika Bílková, Head of the Centre for International Law at IIR, Member of the Venice Commission (CZE)
Moderator: Tomáš Brolík, Journalist, Respekt weekly
Please RSVP by April 6, 2026, via: czechia.office@tsikhanouskaya.org.