Venezuelan government and opposition open US-backed talks

Delegations from the Venezuelan government and a faction of the opposition met in Caracas on Thursday for the first face-to-face negotiations since January 3, when U.S. forces detained President Nicolás Maduro. The closed-door session lasted until August 12, following which the parties would decide if further plenary talks were needed.

Both sides issued statements outlining their commitment to respect national sovereignty, negotiate in good faith, and find a peaceful, democratic, and constitutional solution. The government's delegation, led by Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly, included lawmakers Pedro Infante, América Pérez, Genesis Garvett, and Jorge Arreaza, as well as Higher Education Minister Ana María San Juan.

The opposition delegation was led by Dinorah Figuera, the 65-year-old physician and former National Assembly president, who returned from Spain on Wednesday after being in exile. Figuera's team included Marco Aurelio Quiñones, Desiree Barboza, Ramón López, Jorge Mílán, and Juan Miguel Matheus. The agenda focused on three areas: assisting those impacted by June's earthquakes, strengthening democracy, and guaranteeing political and civil rights.

The opposition sought reforms to the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Court, lifting bans on political parties, a timeline for elections, and the release of political prisoners, but these demands remained unmet. The U.S. State Department praised the talks, emphasizing their commitment to supporting a Venezuelan-led process within a three-phase plan for stabilization, economic recovery, political reconciliation, and a peaceful transition.

However, the talks faced opposition, with former leader María Corina Machado notably absent and the government dismissing the initiative as commonplace.