The Foreign Service Journal, December 2019

40 DECEMBER 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL fraudulent May 2018 presidential elections and a sham January 2019 presidential inauguration. Against this backdrop, Embassy Caracas had been working to unite a fractured opposition and find a new generation of leaders to restore democracy. Ms. Brito, an entry-level political officer, accepted the chal- lenge and discovered a young generation of lawmakers that could potentially bridge the generational gap with the “old guard.” Once Ms. Brito discovered this group, she took the next step to help empower them. Working with other State offices and USAID, she developed multiple programs enabling the parlia- mentarians to connect with grassroots organizations and learn about monitoring elections, reforming law enforcement and strengthening democratic institutions. These programs helped strengthen the group members’ knowledge base and experience, enabling them to be stronger, more active participants in restoring Venezuela’s democracy. A young National Assembly deputy, Juan Guaidó, emerged from this group. At the time relatively unknown, Mr. Guaidó worked across the opposition to garner support, and the National Assembly elected him as the body’s president in January 2019. After Mr. Maduro’s sham election and in line with the Venezuelan constitution, Mr. Guaidó, with the support of all opposition parties and the Venezuelan people, declared himself interim president of Venezuela until new, free and fair elections could be held. The United States immediately recognized Mr. Guaidó as president; and, to date, more than 50 countries around the world recognize him and his efforts to develop an inclusive democratic transition in Venezuela. While Mr. Guaidó has been the face of the movement, the other 11 parliamentarians from Ms. Brito’s group are work- ing with him as heads of National Assembly commissions and are involved in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts. In the face of harassment, extrajudicial arrests and violence, this group is bravely putting their lives on the line to fight for democracy and the future of Venezuela. Ms. Brito saw the value of listening to these young leaders and providing them access and resources to promote democratic values and institutions. When given the opportunity to go further, she connected these leaders with embassy leadership and, ultimately, helped shape today’s Venezuela where the people finally can work to restore democracy. Nora Brito joined the Foreign Service in 2014. Her first tour was in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, where she worked in the Non-Immigrant Visas and American Citizen Services sections. She started her second tour, in Caracas, in April 2017 as a political officer and, following the drawdown of Embassy Caracas, took on a new role as an adviser to Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ms. Brito received her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. She received a bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics from American University. Mark Palmer Award for the Advancement of Democracy Christopher Gooch Promoting U.S. Values in Iraq and Nepal C hristopher Gooch is a forceful advocate for U.S. and universal human rights and values who made bold and imaginative efforts to expand democracy, freedom and good governance during assignments in Iraq and Nepal. In Iraq, he helped protect female civil society activists, per- suaded the Iraqi government to act to protect trafficking victims and helped launch an initiative aimed at resolving the Kirkuk Dr. Sushma Palmer (left) presents the Mark Palmer Award to Foreign Service Officer Nora Brito at the AFSA Awards Ceremony Oct. 16. AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA