Author Archives: Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy is a special contributor to the Freedom Square blog. Michael has been active in democracy promotion and international relations for the better part of four decades in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East. He is currently a consultant based in Ottawa.

REASON FOR HOPE IN VENEZUELA?

By Michael Murphy | July 24, 2013

Freedom Square special contributor Michael Murphy looks at the many challenges facing Venezuela’s new president and the prospects for change.

CAN THE CASTRO REGIME SURVIVE WITHOUT CHAVEZ?

By Michael Murphy | July 15, 2013

In honor of those who are fighting for freedom in both Cuba and Venezuela, and often paying a high price for their courage, we posed the following questions to two of our special contributors: How dependent is Cuba on Venezuela and vice versa? And what does this interdependence mean for Cuban freedom? Special Contributor Michael Murphy offers his take on the question.

IS ROWHANI A THREAT TO IRAN’S CLERICAL-MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT?

By Michael Murphy | June 26, 2013

On June 14 Iranians chose a popular “moderate” as president, leading to the question of whether the outcome is evidence that Iran is on a path toward liberalization. Sayyid Hassan Rowhani, a mid-ranking cleric and PhD, trumped his five conservative competitors with an impressive first round victory, giving his supporters hope for more social freedoms, political openness, and a chance to strengthen the economy by reconfiguring Iran’s relationship with the rest of the world. While he almost certainly would not have been the popular choice in a free and fair election, where any man or woman could run for office, he was more in line with most Iranians than the other seven candidates hand-picked by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.