The Foreign Service Journal, December 2020

46 DECEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL as a Belarus desk officer in the Bureau of European Affairs. Ms. Shema has a master’s degree in international affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Georgia. She speaks Romanian, French and Spanish. Mark Palmer Award for the Advancement of Democracy Rafael “Rafi” Foley Championing Democracy in Venezuela T he future of democracy and freedom in Latin America hangs in the balance in Venezuela. As political counselor and deputy chief of the U.S. Mission to Venezuela, Rafi Foley has been instrumental in fostering pro-democracy initiatives there in the face of an intractable regime that poses a dangerous human rights and security threat to the country and the region. Venezuela’s de facto leaders have undermined democracy at home and abroad. Nicolás Maduro—still holding onto power after a contested 2018 election and indicted in the United States on drug charges—has links to Colombian and Middle Eastern terrorist organizations and to organized crime. The United States government and the Venezuelan opposition are determined to see democracy restored in Venezuela and have succeeded in con- straining the Maduro regime’s reach and its totalitarian ambitions. Mr. Foley has influenced democratic actors across the political spectrum in Venezuela, helping them to coalesce around com- mon strategies and leaders. For example, he played a behind-the- scenes role in the election of a young legislator, Juan Guaidó, as president of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Guaidó, backed again by a united opposition on the basis of an emergency provision of the Venezuelan Constitution, boldly assumed the interim presidency of Venezuela. Today, 60 coun- tries, including the United States and the world’s largest democra- cies, recognize Mr. Guaidó as interim president. In January 2019 Maduro gave all U.S. diplomatic personnel 72 hours to leave Venezuela. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded that Maduro had no authority to do so. The embassy drew down to 23 Americans, half of them security staff. Mr. Foley was selected to stay in Caracas to carry on his responsibilities as political counselor and became acting deputy chief of mission. In a tense stalemate with the regime, the embassy continued operat- ing for several weeks. Then, in early March 2019, all of Venezuela experienced major electricity blackouts. For several nights, all Americans were required to sleep in their offices. Water and fuel resources became unreliable, and the airport was intermittently closed. Secretary Pompeo ordered the withdrawal of all remaining U.S. personnel. Up until his last day in Caracas, Mr. Foley continued to support democratic actors there. Back in the United States, Mr. Foley has been an indispensable member of the small team that made up the virtual U.S. Embassy Caracas, initially in Washington, D.C., and then in Miami, Florida. He worked on extended temporary duty in Bogotá, and his work there helped to convince the department to move the Venezuela team fromMiami to Bogotá. The Venezuela Affairs Unit was estab- lished in Bogotá in August 2019 as a functionally independent post focused on returning democracy to Venezuela and support- ing the heroic struggle of Venezuelan democratic actors. Mr. Foley became its deputy chief. Mr. Foley’s work to restore democracy in Venezuela has continued at an unrelenting pace at the VAU. As a direct result of the VAU’s teamwork, and Mr. Foley’s contributions to it, there is intense pressure on President Maduro, preventing him from con- solidating power and keeping in check his ability to undermine democracy in neighboring countries. “On the Venezuela Affairs team, both overseas and in Wash- ington, we recognize the enormous implications of Venezuelans’ struggle to regain their freedom and fundamental human rights,” For me, this award is a recognition of the inspiring and exceptional work the entire Embassy Chisinau team has done to promote democratic values, free and fair elections, and justice reform in Moldova. —Alexandra Shema Rafi Foley.