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U.S.-Backed Talks Begin in Caracas to Chart Venezuela’s Political Transition

U.S.-brokered negotiations could open a path to credible elections or urgent quake recovery if negotiators secure verifiable institutional reforms.

Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez and former opposition lawmaker Dinorah Figuera, along with Juan Miguel Matheus, Pedro Infante and America Perez and other members of the National Assembly, attend the opening session of the national dialogue in Caracas, Venezuela, August 6, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
Venezuelan Parliament President Jorge Rodriguez meets with former opposition lawmaker Dinorah Figuera at the National Assembly in Caracas on June 18, 2026.
Parliament member Dinorah Figuera cries in front of the secret police prison Sebin, after an opposition city councilman died under unclear circumstances on the premises of the institution, on October 8, 2018 in Caracas.
Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez and former opposition lawmaker Dinorah Figuera attend the opening session of the national dialogue in Caracas, Venezuela, August 6, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Overview

  • The negotiations opened in Caracas on Thursday, Aug. 6, with government and opposition teams meeting in person and agreeing to stay in working sessions through Aug. 12 to assess progress.
  • The government delegation is led by National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez and the opposition delegation is led by Dinorah Figuera, who returned from exile to take part.
  • Both sides published an agenda that prioritizes relief and reconstruction after the June 24 twin earthquakes that killed more than 6,000 people and calls for reforms to the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Court.
  • The United States has designed and is publicly backing the process, a role that gives Washington clear leverage over the talks and has prompted debate about U.S. influence and negotiator selection.
  • Key obstacles remain: María Corina Machado and other exiled opposition figures are not participating, the Chavista movement is split over Delcy Rodríguez’s U.S. cooperation, and Venezuelans worry the talks must produce verifiable changes such as new electoral bodies, prisoner releases, and reliable aid to matter.