“All too often, our understanding of conflict dynamics in a given region is from 80,000 feet up and we thus miss the local texture of relationships that matter on the ground, as well as the non-linear events that can both benefit or plague peacebuilding. This book is the opposite—it is a cliff-hanger, telling the story of the role of international third parties intervening in the Venezuelan conflict  (2002–2004) from the perspective of two of the third party actors. The narrative is rich in close-up detail, the kind that is almost never seen in public and reveals the “theory-in-use” of the parties, telling the story of the sense they made, and at the second order level, how the sense-making impacted the peacebuilding process itself. For this reason, it is a hearty and substantive contribution to our collective understanding of peacebuilding and an excellent resource for practitioners and researchers working at the international level to untangle the knots of protracted conflicts.”
—Sara Cobb, School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University


“This is a superb, indispensable, and courageous book about the mediation of international actors in national conflicts. Superb, because it meets the highest standard of scholarship in its analysis
of theoretical and practical issues involved in the resolution of conflict and the prevention of violence. Indispensable, because in a world fractured by political strife it offers invaluable instructive experiences and concrete proposals useful for a range of circumstances. And brave, because in the highly polarized context of Venezuelan politics, where political debate has become locked in Manichean extremes, this book dares to confront tough questions by presenting careful arguments. This account provides a fascinating analysis of Venezuelan political processes and analyzes the Carter Center’s role, a subject of acrimonious debate in Venezuela. Far from a provincial case study, it is a book of major importance for the study of global politics.”
—Fernando Coronil, Presidential Professor of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York


“International Mediation in Venezuela is a fascinating account of the interactions between the evolving government of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, the changing constellations of the political opposition to Chávez from 2002 through 2004, and the international efforts to mediate between them, especially those of the Carter Center and the Organization of American States. It is written from the perspectives of Jennifer McCoy and Francisco Diez, senior  advisers to the Carter Center, who worked closely with former president Carter in a period of dangerous polarization.

Theoretically and practically informed by the growing experience of international efforts at conflict resolution, self-aware and self-critical as participant observers, McCoy and Diez illuminate the personal, institutional, political, and cultural obstacles to defusing Venezuela’sinternal confrontation. They provide a balanced appraisal of the skills of Hugo Chávez as a political actor, and of the misjudgments of the Venezuelan opposition in seeking to constrain him. A worthwhile study, useful for understanding Venezuela and for building the craft of third-party conflict management.”
—Abraham F. Lowenthal, professor of international relations, University of Southern California


“Between 2002 and 2004 we Venezuelans lived dangerously. Our society was torn by a frantic political polarization that seemed to drive it toward a bloody confrontation. That, however, did not happen. Why? More than seven years later, this book provides details of unpublished or forgotten events, provided by the Carter Center, which for more than two and a half years played facilitation, mediation, and international electoral observation roles. It is a singular narrative, reconstructed by McCoy and Diez, extracting theoretical and practical lessons to help people who, like them, dedicate their lives to build peace on this planet. For those who lived those days, reading this book means continuing the dialogue with these peacemakers and with ourselves in the struggle for a better country.”
— Margarita López Maya, historian and political analyst, senior researcher of Universidad Central de Venezuela


“This is an interesting and analytically sharp manuscript that sheds considerable light on the complicated and challenging political situation in Venezuela. The authors provide a highly detailed insiders account of external interventions by the Carter Center and the Organization of American States to promote a path towards reconciliation between sharply polarized political forces.”
—Michael Shifter, president, Inter-American Dialogue


“In this lucidly documented and deeply reflective case study of the Carter Center’s work to help transform conflict and prevent possible civil war in the troubled country of Venezuela, Jennifer McCoy and Francisco Diez offer a valuable set of lessons for theorists and practitioners alike. Usually we have the account of a diplomat or a third-person account by an academic, but in this case the diplomats are academics and so we have the rare privilege of hearing theory and practice seamlessly interwoven. Highly recommended!”
—William Ury, Harvard University and co-author of Getting to Yes and author of The Third Side


“For almost two years between 2002 and 2004, following an abortive coup that almost dislodged Hugo Chavez from the Venezuelan presidency, the Carter Center based in Atlanta worked with the Organization of American States and the UNDP to prevent deadly conflict and to promote political dialogue. This thorough and insightful account combines gripping first hand testimony with the thoughtful analysis of the lessons to be learned. The authors display a deep understanding of the complexities of this deeply divisive period in Venezuelan politics. At the same time they remain steadfast in their commitment to democratic reconciliation, and they are also realistic about the limits of external mediation in such disputes.”
—Laurence Whitehead, Nuffield College, Oxford