For the Love of Venezuelans with Leopoldo López

Casey and Elisha open Season 2 with Leopoldo Lopez, the prominent Venezuelan politician and activist who has made a name for himself by building peaceful movements opposing the Maduro regime. For his efforts, he spent nearly seven years in prison, four in solitary confinement, and now lives in exile. The three discuss Lopez's upbringing in Venezuela, the family history that compelled him to enter politics, and what he loves most about the country he didn't want to leave. Lopez provides an assessment of Venezuela’s current political landscape following the stolen election in July and how he’s advocating for reform at the World Liberty Congress. Extreme sports are also discussed.

Om Podcasten

“Dissidents and Dictators” is a podcast dedicated to bringing listeners stories and analysis from those on the frontlines of the fight for democracy. Hosted by Casey Michel and Elisha Maldonado, the podcast features democracy campaigners, investigative journalists, artists, musicians, scholars, and many more targeted by authoritarian regimes around the world. Guests share their personal histories and how they’ve dedicated themselves to standing up to dictatorship. Mixing news, commentary, and humor, the podcast provides impactful, unflinching conversations from those who’ve sacrificed everything to spread democracy — and who want to share their story with the rest of us.