Venezuela’s government and a faction of the political opposition concluded a plenary round of US-backed talks Wednesday with an agreement to overhaul the country’s Supreme Court and a framework for releasing frozen state funds for humanitarian use, negotiators said.
The judicial deal marks the first tangible outcome of the current round of dialogue, and the first time the opposition has formally taken part in shaping judicial renewal in Venezuela, according to those involved. The agreement provides for amending the Supreme Court’s organic law, renewing the judicial nominations committee, launching a new selection process for justices and creating a panel to vet candidates’ credentials.
Opposition negotiator Dinorah Figuera, who heads the delegation representing the defunct 2015 National Assembly, has said the broader roadmap calls for installing a new Supreme Court by November and a revamped National Electoral Council by December.
On frozen assets, the two sides agreed on a framework to gradually release funds for humanitarian purposes, though officials cautioned it represents only an initial template rather than a full settlement. Broader issues — including US sanctions, the terms of Venezuela’s next presidential election and the status of political prisoners — remain outside the scope of this round of talks.
The talks, held at La Carlota Air Base and later at a Caracas hotel, are the ninth attempt at dialogue between chavismo and the opposition, but the first with explicit backing from Washington. They follow the US operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power in January and installed Delcy RodrÃguez as acting president. The government delegation was led by National Assembly President Jorge RodrÃguez.
The Trump administration has described the process as a “unique opportunity” for political transition in Venezuela, though President Trump has said the country is not yet ready to hold elections. The talks come as Venezuela continues to grapple with the aftermath of earthquakes in June that killed more than 5,000 people and caused an estimated $37 billion in damage, and amid an economic crisis that has driven more than 7 million Venezuelans to leave the country in recent years.
