By: Chloe Ross Bohn

Edited By: Leah Li

Over 7 million people have fled Venezuela since the country’s political and economic collapse began in 2014. One of those exiles and a SAIS alumnus, David Smolansky, joined SAIS students on Monday, September 9, 2024, to share the harrowing story of his escape. Formerly the mayor of the El Hatillo municipality in Caracas, Smolansky led a government nationally recognized for its transparency and fierce crackdown on corruption. Smolansky became the youngest mayor in Venezuelan history in 2013 when he was elected to office at age 28, a testament to the power of youthful ambition and fresh political perspectives. His message to SAIS students was simple: “Don’t be afraid of your age.” Reflecting on the skepticism his campaign faced, he explained, “We wanted to prove that we could be different…and we won.” Under his leadership, kidnapping rates fell by 80 percent and a third of the police force was dismissed for corruption—staggering accomplishments in a country mired in crime and dysfunction.

But Smolansky’s success quickly attracted dangerous attention. On August 9, 2017, the Maduro regime declared him a terrorist, a label strategically weaponized to silence political opponents. With a warrant out for his arrest, Smolansky was forced to leave behind his beloved country. In an escape that required both resourcefulness and courage, he shaved his beard, disguised himself as a priest, and embarked on a perilous three-day journey through 35 security checkpoints to reach safety in Brazil. Today, Smolansky continues to live in exile, but he remains a vocal advocate for democracy, using his platform to shine a light on Venezuela’s plight and the global struggle between authoritarianism and freedom.

At a time when U.S. democracy can feel increasingly fragile, Smolansky’s reflections on polarization and autocracy resonated as timely warnings, especially with the looming 2024 presidential election. Smolansky acknowledged the historical significance of U.S. democracy, calling it a “reference point” for the world. He noted how Americans take pride not only in their country but also in their individual states and hometowns, a sense of identity that he admires. Yet since arriving in the U.S. in 2017, he has been deeply unsettled by the increasing polarization of American society, a division he believes weakens the nation’s democratic fabric. “How do you depolarize?” he asked, offering his own thoughts on the renewal of political institutions. For Smolansky, the answer lies in bringing more young people into leadership positions, much like he did at the age of 28. He believes political parties, both in the U.S. and abroad, must be revitalized by new perspectives, new energy, and most importantly, new leaders untainted by the entrenched divides of previous generations. “The polarization of some of the most important democracies in the world is favoring autocrats,” Smolansky warned. This polarization can create fertile ground for authoritarianism, as it did in Venezuela.

The comparison between Venezuela’s descent into dictatorship and the challenges faced by other democracies is particularly chilling. In 1998, a Venezuelan soldier named Hugo Chávez ascended to power not by force, but through democratic elections, using the very mechanisms of democracy to dismantle it from within. By 2024, the world watched as Nicolás Maduro, Chávez’s successor, refused to step down despite overwhelming evidence that opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia had won the presidential election. The lesson, Smolansky emphasized, is that democracy is fragile. The battle is no longer about traditional ideological divides between the left and the right; it’s about preserving the structures of democracy against the rise of authoritarian regimes. “This is not about right [wing against] left wing,” Smolansky stressed, “this is about democracy against dictatorship.”

Smolansky’s message resonates not just for Venezuela but for the world at large. His story serves as a powerful reminder that the values of freedom, justice, and democracy must be constantly defended, and that complacency in the face of rising autocracy can have devastating consequences. His call for younger generations to take up the mantle of leadership is also a challenge; as we look toward the future, the question isn’t just how we maintain democracy, but how we make it stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive for the next generation. In a world where democracies are increasingly under threat, Smolansky’s story is both a cautionary tale and a call to action.