For individuals living in the Americas, freedom of expression, freedom of political participation, and due process of law are all guaranteed, in principle.  However, making these guarantees a reality depends on the disposition to act when they are threatened. The recent Chilean Supreme Court protective order on behalf of Venezuelan opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Daniel Ceballos is an enormous step forward in making our commitment to safeguard human rights a reality. The Court’s order is a proactive one on behalf of the victims of human rights abuse, rather than an ex post punitive move to extradite the culpable.  The May 5 and 6 conference will analyze the Chilean Supreme Court’s decision and its implications for furthering human rights in the Americas. Our keynote speaker, Chilean Supreme Court Justice Carlos Aránguiz, wrote the path breaking opinion, and various experts on the situation in Venezuela and the protective order, including Allan Brewer Carías, Alfredo Romero, and Maria Victoria Villegas Figueroa, will speak during the course of the conference.