Jessica Ludwig

The US should leverage multiple strategies to counter transnational organized crime in the Western Hemisphere, incl. cooperation among law enforcement agencies, support for civil society, and reforms to strengthen accountability and rule of law. My latest: bushcenter.org/publications/h…

The pressure to address Cuba's simmering economic and humanitarian crisis is rising. Read more about the need for economic reform in tandem with systemic political reforms from Jessica Ludwig, Fellow of Global Policy at the Bush Institute: bushcenter.org/publications/o…

Cuba’s prospects for economic reform will remain severely hindered unless systematic political reforms are also introduced. My latest for @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/o…

Today, President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush welcomed Ukrainian First Lady Mrs. Olena @ZelenskaUA to the Bush Center. “We admire your country’s bravery and ingenuity,” said President George W. Bush. “We want the people of Ukraine to know that we continue to stand with America’s ally, Ukraine. You are fighting for freedom, and I believe you will prevail.”  Ukraine’s defense against an unprovoked full-scale invasion from Vladimir Putin has now entered its fifth year. Vladimir Putin is responsible for the gravest security crisis on the European continent since World War II. The Bush Institute continues to believe that now is the time to stop him – and to do so, the U.S. must continue its support of Ukraine.

Cuba’s future stability and the Western Hemisphere’s security will depend on comprehensive structural changes to Cuba’s economic, security, and political systems. My latest for @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/p…

The U.S.-led peace plan for Armenia and Azerbaijan centers on proposed economic incentives that are at risk as long as #Azerbaijan continues its crackdown against civil society leaders who called for accountability for rampant corruption in the country. bushcenter.org/publications/p…

Excelentísimas noticias! Que todos sean liberados! Educator and community leader Javier Tarazona is free after more than 4.5 years in Venezuela prison in pretrial detention.

🔴"Supporting Georgia’s democratic institutions is the best way bolster the country’s sovereignty against Russian, Chinese, and Iranian nefarious influence, which the Georgian Dream-led government has welcomed," - @JesLudwig, fellow of global policy at the Bush Institute. 📌bushcenter.org/publications/f… @TheBushCenter #GeorgiaProtests #FreeMzia

This month marks one-year that Georgian journalist @MziaAmaglobeli @Batumelebi_ge @netgazeti remains in prison after being arrested amid a crackdown on Georgia's independent media and civil society. Learn more about her #StruggleforFreedom @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/f…

Freedom for all Venezuelan political prisoners is measurable and should be a U.S. priority. @StateDept should work with NGOs like @ForoPenal @_Provea @caslainstitute @LibertadLuchSoc on a list and insist Venezuelan interim authorities release them. bushcenter.org/publications/s…

The release of ALL of Venezuela’s political prisoners is crucial to setting the stage for an eventual transition to democracy in Venezuela, the best path forward for the country’s long-term stability and prosperity. My latest @TheBushCenter: bushcenter.org/publications/s…

Let's face it. Putin has strong disincentives against ending the war in Ukraine. Sending Russian soldiers home could pose challenges to Putin’s narrative about the war and reveal how much it has truly cost Russian society. My latest @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/t…

Today, a kangaroo court in Hong Kong found publisher Jimmy Lai guilty in its first-ever “collusion with foreign forces” trial under Beijing’s National Security Law for meetings and editorials calling for support for Hong Kong. Jimmy Lai is 78, a British citizen, and has already spent over 1,800 days in prison, mostly in solitary confinement. He is guilty only of believing Hong Kong people deserve freedom. If governments say they stand for press freedom and the rule of law, this is the moment to prove it, says @frances_hui #JimmyLai #HongKong #PressFreedom #HumanRights #FreeJimmyLai #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliticalPrisoner #FrancesHui

Today, #JimmyLai 黎智英 spends his 78th birthday unjustly imprisoned in #HongKong. No one should endure prison time for defending democracy. We wish him a happy birthday and call for his immediate release, along with all other #HK political prisoners. #FreeJimmyLai

ICYMI: While #Honduras is still waiting a week later to learn whether Nasry Asfura or Salvador Nasralla will be the next president in a tight vote count (and patience in the process is key), the vote revealed that Hondurans have lost confidence in President Castro's Libre party.

Honduras' Nov. 30 presidential election is still too close to call days later but remains a tight race between two conservative candidates. What's clear is Hondurans have rebuked President Xiomara Castro's leftist Libre Party. My explainer @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/h…

Zhang Zhan was arrested in China in May 2020 after traveling to Wuhan to investigate what was happening at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. She had published a “Wuhan Diary” that documented the devastation and despair occurring in the city of more than 11 million people – a story that did not align with the image the Chinese government tried to paint. Zhang was sentenced to four years in prison, during which time she suffered ongoing harassment and torture. In 2024, she was released but refused to stay silent, which led to her rearrest after only three months free. @JesLudwig, fellow of global policy at the Bush Institute, explains how Zhang’s story is essential to understanding how authoritarian regimes suppress the truth during major global events: bushcenter.org/publications/t…

Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is still paying the price for shining a light on the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown in Wuhan more than 5 years later. The U.S. should ask China's leadership about her treatment. #StruggleForFreedom @TheBushCenter bushcenter.org/publications/t…

Ecuador votes in a constitutional referendum this weekend that could open the door for foreign militaries to operate in the country again. A potential opportunity for the US to combat drug trafficking in the Pacific, but one it should approach cautiously. bushcenter.org/publications/e…