Venezuela launches new dialogue between government and parts of the opposition

Machado and González Urrutia accuse the government of using the dialogue to polish its image and distract from the actual political problems. They continue to demand recognition of their victory in the disputed 2024 election.

Opposition is divided

Former parliamentary president Dinorah Figuera, who after the 2024 election had been built up as a counterweight to the government-aligned parliamentary leadership, is among the actors taking part in the new dialogue. She sees the talks as a chance to gradually defuse the political crisis.

The United States supports the process, according to Washington, but is not itself a party to the negotiations. The U.S. government said it welcomes any step that contributes to a peaceful solution to Venezuela's political crisis.

U.S. supports but does not mediate

Observers in Caracas view the launch of the dialogue as a tactical move by the government against the backdrop of the June 24 earthquake, which had affected large parts of the country. Reconstruction aid is an area in which the government depends on international support.

International mediators, including representatives from several Latin American countries, had tried in recent months to bring the various camps to the table. The dialogue now launched is considered a limited but first step.

Skepticism due to earlier dialogue attempts

Critics point out that previous dialogue attempts in Venezuela since 2018 have repeatedly failed because fundamental issues — such as the recognition of election results and the release of political prisoners — were not resolved.

It remains unclear whether the talks will yield concrete political concessions beyond the ongoing earthquake aid. According to Jorge Rodríguez, the next rounds are to take place in the coming weeks.