U.S.-backed negotiations between Venezuela's interim government and a faction of the opposition commenced on Thursday afternoon, with both sides expressing optimism about charting a path toward democracy and the re-institutionalization of the country. The talks are intended to reform Venezuela's political system in anticipation of future elections.
Jorge Rodriguez, brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez and head of the National Assembly, is leading the government's delegation. He posted images of the negotiators gathered in Caracas on his X account. Rodriguez has been a long-time negotiator in previous talks involving the U.S. and the opposition.
His counterpart, Dinorah Figuera, leads an opposition-dominated cohort of the national assembly elected in 2015, which the U.S. still recognizes as the country's last democratically elected legislature. Figuera stated on X that the process launched on Thursday would "chart the path toward democracy and the re-institutionalization of Venezuela."
The State Department also welcomed the initiation of these negotiations. However, notably absent from the talks is Maria Corina Machado, the country's most popular opposition figure and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Machado has indicated she will not impede progress at the negotiations.
