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Democracy Under Pressure: The Global Struggle for Freedom and Resilience
by
Thu, Apr 16, 2026
12 PM – 1:45 PM EDT (GMT-4)
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Details
Maradiaga—a former presidential candidate, academic, and human rights defender—was imprisoned by the Ortega regime in 2021 and held in solitary confinement for 21 months before being released and stripped of his citizenship. Valle, a prominent journalist and democracy advocate, has led international efforts to defend political prisoners and support Nicaraguan civil society while living in exile with her family since 2018.
Together, they will share firsthand insight into the human cost of authoritarianism and the ongoing struggle for democratic governance in Nicaragua and beyond. This event is sponsored by the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI). Food will be provided!
Speakers
Berta Valle
Co-Founder, Activist, Journalist
University of Virginia, Fundacion Libertad
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertavalle
Berta Valle is a well-known Nicaraguan activist. With fifteen years of experience as a senior television anchor and station manager, Ms. Valle is one of the most-recognized broadcasters in Nicaragua and its diaspora. In 2016, Ms. Valle was nominated as an independent to represent Managua in the National Assembly by the Independent Liberal Party as part of its National Coalition for Democracy.
As a result of the enforced disappearance and detention of her husband, she coordinates defense teams that support Félix Maradiaga inside and outside of Nicaragua.
Félix Maradiaga
Professor, Political Strategist, Activist
University of Virginia, Fundación Libertad
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maradiaga/
Félix Maradiaga is a Nicaraguan academic, human rights defender, and former presidential candidate. In 2021, he was arbitrarily imprisoned by the Ortega regime and held in solitary confinement for 21 months before being released and stripped of his citizenship. He is currently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and, in 2023, received both the Sergei Magnitsky Award for Outstanding Democratic Opposition and the Geneva Summit Courage Award.
Sponsors
Hosted By
Co-hosted with: Latin America Studies Club at SAIS, Latin America Studies Initiative at SAIS