O’Melveny Helps Venezuelan Political Refugee Secure Asylum

An O’Melveny team secured asylum for Carmen Mercado, a political activist from Venezuela who spent decades protesting government corruption and fighting for free and fair democratic elections.

Mercado became involved in grassroots politics in 1999, and she and other members of the political opposition faced harassment from “colectivos,” heavily armed civilian paramilitary groups acting with the government’s approval and at its direction. She was repeatedly attacked, beaten, robbed, and threatened with murder before fleeing to the US in 2018.

O’Melveny took this case after Mercado’s initial application for asylum was denied. An asylum hearing was scheduled in Immigration Court for April 2022. At the start of the hearing, however, the government conceded. The judge suggested that was the right way to proceed because the court was convinced by the copious evidence and briefing presented by O’Melveny that Mercado’s life was still in danger and would remain in danger anywhere in Venezuela.