Dissent Lab

Vaclav Havel Center

Vaclav Havel was a writer, human rights activist, and statesman who led Czechoslovakia’s 1989 Velvet Revolution. As 21st-century governments abandon democracy, people across the world are asking how to move forward. This podcast features conversations with contemporary dissidents who have faced imprisonment, torture, or exile, fighting to free their people from oppression and bring democracy to their homelands, and resisting authoritarianism at great personal cost. These are lessons that can't be learned in a history class. The Vaclav Havel Center presents this unforgettable series.

Episodes

  1. Apr 27

    Jesus Armas - Venezuela

    We're living a moment of extreme global turmoil now in the 21st century with too many governments turning away from human rights or the rights of their citizens and many activists and citizens wanting to know how to move forward and what to do next. So the idea for this series is simple. Speak to, listen to, and learn from activists around the globe who've played a critical role in fighting tyranny . At the end of March, we interviewed Jesus Armas, a Venezuelan opposition leader who was released from prison in February after 14 months in the jails of dictator Nicolas Maduro and his regime. On January 3, 2026, Armas was asleep inside Venezuela's most notorious prison. He heard a a huge explosion and was unaware that the Trump Administration ordered the capture of Maduro. He talks to host Peter Green about his escape, his past and how he plans to move his country forward. Armas ' story is bone chilling, but inspiring.

    37 min
  • 1 Episode

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Vaclav Havel was a writer, human rights activist, and statesman who led Czechoslovakia’s 1989 Velvet Revolution. As 21st-century governments abandon democracy, people across the world are asking how to move forward. This podcast features conversations with contemporary dissidents who have faced imprisonment, torture, or exile, fighting to free their people from oppression and bring democracy to their homelands, and resisting authoritarianism at great personal cost. These are lessons that can't be learned in a history class. The Vaclav Havel Center presents this unforgettable series.

Information

  • Creator
    Vaclav Havel Center
  • Episodes
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Vaclav Havel Center
  • Show Website
    Dissent Lab