The political future of Venezuela is the topic of the next "Conversations at The Carter Center" on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m.  

Jennifer McCoy and Margarita López Maya, experts on the Latin American nation, will talk about Venezuela following the March 5 death of its controversial leader, Hugo Chavez.  

The Carter Center's panel discussion takes place four days after Venezuela’s snap presidential elections on April 14, in which voters narrowly elected Chavez's handpicked successor Nicolás Maduro.

McCoy is part of a small delegation The Carter Center has sent to Venezuela at the invitation of the country's National Election Council.  

McCoy directs The Carter Center's Americas Program and is Georgia State University Distinguished University Professor of Political Science.  

López Maya is a historian and is senior professor-researcher of the Center for Development Studies of the Universidad Central de Venezuela.

John Stremlau, vice president for peace programs at The Carter Center, will moderate the event.

Although the April 18 event is full, it will be webcast live at www.cartercenter.org.