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Hey Hunter! As I mentioned to you before I represent Leopoldo Lopez, the leading political
prisoner in Venezuela who was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for allegedly using "subliminal messages" to incite people to violence - and is outpolling President Maduro by 30+ percentage points in a hypothetical presidential matchup.

Your Dad has been totally fabulous on Venezuela human rights. I met him with Leopoldo's wife Lilian Tintori at a small meeting in the OEOB more than a year ago. And he told us the story of how when he met Maduro at Dilma Rousseff's inauguration he told Maduro that there could be no dialogue with the US until he released all of Venezuela's political prisoners. He seemed visibly moved meeting Lilian and the two other human rights activists who joined us for the meeting hearing their terrible stories of repression (one mother had her daughter killed by security forces with a rubber bullet to the face point blank, and the other guy, who was actually a Chavista, had his brother was gunned down by security forces - despite both being captured on video no one was ever charged or prosecuted).

I thought that perhaps you might want to forward this update on to him b/c he's been personally engaged. I suspect he would likely be very pleased to hear of this development on Leopoldo's case. But of course if not no worries.

As you can see below, I'm arguing strongly for the Admin to maintain and amplify your Dad's strong and principled message. We are on the cusp of getting Leopoldo out - and maintaining the strong stand can get us across the finish line.

Best,

Jared

Begin forwarded message:

From: <jgenser@perseus-strategies.com<mailto:jgenser@perseus-strategies.com>>
Date: June 1, 2016 at 4:46:47 PM EDT
To: <Juan_S_Gonzalez@ovp.eop.gov<mailto:Juan_S_Gonzalez@ovp.eop.gov>>, Colin Kahl <ckahl@ovp.eop.gov<mailto:ckahl@ovp.eop.gov>>, "Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon" <shannonta@state.gov<mailto:shannonta@state.gov>>, Tom Malinowski <malinowskitp@state.gov<mailto:malinowskitp@state.gov>>, <Mark_B_Feierstein@nsc.eop.gov<mailto:Mark_B_Feierstein@nsc.eop.gov>>, Stephen Pomper <spomper@nss.eop.gov<mailto:spomper@nss.eop.gov>>, <finerjj@state.gov<mailto:finerjj@state.gov>>
Subject: IMPORTANT: Leopoldo Lopez/Venezuela

All,

We received word last night that the appeals court in Leopoldo Lopez's case has accepted his appeal and now scheduled it for June 20th. It had been languishing with no action for nine months.

Obviously its scheduling immediately after OAS SG Almagro invoked the Democratic Charter is no accident. Maduro realizes he needs to open up options for relieving the pressure - though it is now merely an option with zero assurances he will
take it.

We will be going public with this information tomorrow morning with a press conference in Caracas and a press release.

Our key message will be that the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners is the bellwether - the only sign the OAS and international community should see as Maduro appreciating the depth of the world's concerns. And as Vice President Biden said to Lilian, her fellow rights activists, and me when we met, no dialogue can begin without this.

Now is the time to increase the pressure dramatically both publicly and privately.

Very much hope the WH and State Department will reaffirm publicly what the Vice President told us, setting the release of political prisoners as the critical first step forward if Maduro wants to avert action at the OAS and welcome reports that Leopoldo's appeal has now been scheduled.

Unfortunately it appears yesterday State was caught flat-footed and had no idea about the emergency session that was invoked by Almagro, let alone its extraordinary significance - see below.

Thanks as always for the help and support.

Best,

Jared

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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2016/05/257836.htm#VENEZUELA


QUESTION: So staying in the region, can we just go to Venezuela real quick with the OAS call for a session? What is the U.S. position on this?

MR KIRBY: OAS calls for --

QUESTION: OAS call for an emergency meeting to discuss the situation with Venezuela’s democracy.

MR KIRBY: We join them in calling for dialogue in Venezuela to find the solutions. As a matter of fact, I think you saw the readout --

QUESTION: Yeah, no, this is different than the Secretary’s call to the officials last week. This is – I believe this is something new. As you know, the OAS – the head of the OAS is not exactly Mr. Popularity with the Maduro administration, or Mr. Popular with the Maduro administration, and now he is wanting to hold a special meeting about – which could lead to the – could possibly lead to Venezuela being suspended from the OAS. Do you – if you don’t have anything --

MR KIRBY: I don’t know that we have a position on that specific call, Matt, but I would point out that we know the – we know proximity talks did start in the Dominican Republic and we welcome that. We think that, as the Secretary said in his readout from his call with the former prime minister of Spain on Thursday, that we continue to believe dialogue is the right approach here.