Venezuela’s New Deal: Govt & Opposition Talk It Out After Twin Earthquakes

Sun Sep 06 2026 08:08:56 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

After a double quake, Venezuela’s interim government opens talks with opposition to rebuild and pave the way to democracy.

Venezuela’s interim administration announced in late July that it will start formal talks with opposition lawmakers from August 1. The move follows a severe earthquake that killed thousands and pushed the country into crisis. The talks aim to create a roadmap to democracy, rebuild institutions and ensure political participation. Oppositional leaders, including former lawmaker Dinorah Figuera, have pushed for electoral reforms and a renewal of the National Electoral Council. The announcement comes amid a tense political climate, with former President Maduro still detained abroad and former leaders re‑entering the country.

Venezuela’s New Deal: Govt & Opposition Talk It Out After Twin Earthquakes

Jorge Rodríguez discussing with former lawmaker Dinorah Figuera

After a pair of deadly earthquakes on 24 June that ripped the north of Venezuela, the country’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez’s brother Jorge Rodríguez, says the government will finally open formal talks with opposition members from 1 August.

The announcement follows the dramatic 2026 dawn raid that toppled President Nicolás Maduro from power in 2023 and sent him to New York for drug‑trafficking charges. For years, opposition parties have been barred or dragged into unfair elections, leaving a democratic vacuum.

Opposition lawyers say the new talks will “draw a map to democracy” and focus on revamping the National Electoral Council (CNE) to guarantee fair elections. Dinorah Figuera, who returned from eight years in exile, will lead the group and has already greeted US aid for quake‑repair.

Key points highlighted in the talks include:

Restoring democratic institutions

Ensuring safe, fair elections

Guaranteeing political participation for all citizens

Coordinating post‑quake reconstruction with international aid

While the interim government holds power with backup from the US, leaders like María Corina Machado still face travel bans. The new talks signal a major shift, potentially ending decades of political persecution of opposition figures who have been jailed or forced into exile.

The outcome could reshape Venezuela’s political future, giving people hope for a more open and accountable government after years of crisis.