Diego Area is the President and CEO of Global Americans, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to reimagining U.S.–Latin America relations. Born and raised in Caracas, Diego came of age during the rise of the Chavez regime, becoming deeply engaged in student government at the Universidad Central de Venezuela—where his father also served on the faculty—and in the broader opposition movement, at times placing himself at personal risk in defense of democratic values. Eventually fleeing Venezuela, Diego and his wife settled in Washington, DC, where he earned a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. In 2021, GWU honored him with its Guardian of Democracy Award, recognizing graduates who have overcome significant obstacles to uphold democratic principles at home and abroad. He went on to spend six years at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center before taking the helm at Global Americans, where he builds bridges between the private sector, governments, and the U.S. Latino community to strengthen democracy and hemispheric cooperation. In this episode of the Purple Line Podcast, hosted by CHLI CEO Mary Ann Gomez Orta, Diego reflects on his journey from the streets of Caracas to Washington policy circles, the lessons of opposing authoritarianism firsthand, and his views on U.S.–Latin America relations, the current administration’s posture toward Venezuela, and the intertwined futures of the Venezuelan and Cuban diasporas. A passionate advocate for free expression and diversity of thought, Diego brings a compelling and deeply personal lens to some of the hemisphere’s most pressing questions.