Venezuela's interim government has announced formal talks with the opposition, aiming to strengthen democracy in the country. The process is backed by the United States, which seeks a democratic transition following the twin earthquakes that killed over 4,700 people.
Opposition delegation excludes Machado
Contrary to expectations from many parties and voters, the Nobel laureate María Corina Machado will not represent the opposition. Instead, Dinorah Figuera, who lived in exile in Spain since 2018 and recently returned to Caracas, will lead the opposition delegation.
Figuera announced the talks on Tuesday, later confirmed by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Rodríguez, whose sister Delcy is acting president, said a joint working group focused on strengthening democracy would begin on 1 August, involving former members of the 2015 national assembly, which was then led by Figuera.
Background of the 2015 assembly
The 2015 assembly was the first and only opposition-controlled congress elected under Chavismo, the leftwing movement founded by Hugo Chávez. Many of its members were later imprisoned or forced into exile.
A week before the 24 June earthquakes, Figuera returned to Venezuela and met with Jorge Rodríguez. The US State Department praised the meeting as the start of a roadmap for political dialogue on a democratic transition.
US role and Machado's exclusion
Washington has been influential in Venezuela since US forces abducted dictator Nicolás Maduro in January. Figuera said she returned at the invitation of the US State Department, surprising much of the opposition. Weeks earlier, a coalition of parties had decided Machado would lead negotiations for new elections.
Although Machado presented her Nobel prize to Donald Trump and expressed intent to return to Venezuela, the White House has discouraged her return, reportedly fearing civil unrest. Machado announced that opposition coalition parties would meet on Wednesday to define a public position on the talks.
Electoral system priorities
The assembly's social media account thanked the US for support and stated the working group's priority would be strengthening the electoral system and restoring guarantees for political participation. The statement was reposted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, according to the New York Times, has effectively been running Venezuela from Washington as a de facto viceroy.
Despite the announcements, no timetable for new elections has been set. Maduro is widely believed to have stolen the 2024 election, with Delcy Rodríguez as his vice-president. Public anger is growing over the government's response to the earthquakes, and opposition insiders expect rebuilding the electoral system to take at least eight months.
