Paola Bautista de Alemán is a Venezuelan academic, political activist, and member of the National Board of Primero Justicia and president of the FORMA Institute. In March 2025, she had to leave Venezuela due to political persecution. She is currently a visiting fellow at the University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute.
María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has made her the face of the struggle for democracy in Venezuela. But throughout the opposition, women are the backbone of the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s corrupt authoritarian regime.
For years, the Venezuelan opposition has fought hard against a corrupt regime — and come up short. But this time, with four key ingredients in place, we are on the cusp of a historic victory.