Leopoldo López

Biography

Leopoldo López is a Venezuelan freedom activist and former political prisoner (2014–2020), sentenced for leading non-violent protests. After seven years in confinement, he escaped Nicolás Maduro’s regime in 2020 and now lives in Spain with his family. López served as mayor of Chacao (2000–2008) and founded Voluntad Popular, a pro-democracy movement. He is a co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, connecting global pro-democracy leaders. Currently, he is a visiting fellow at the Wilson Center and The Institute and has lectured at Stanford. López holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School. His books include Venezuela Energética and Preso pero Libre. He has written for major outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times and received awards such as the Sakharov Prize and Harvard’s Alumni Achievement Award.