Members of the National Assembly (AN) of Venezuela and representatives of the parallel opposition Parliament that emerged in 2015 have launched this Thursday in Caracas the first working cycle of the new political dialogue process, after a joint "roadmap" for the reconstruction of the country was announced in mid-July following the double earthquake that has left more than 6,000 dead.
The National Assembly of 2015 has explained on its social networks that "the process of conversations between the National Government Delegation and the National Assembly Delegation of 2015 has begun, with the installation of the plenary, agreeing on the methodology, the working cycles, and ratifying the agenda of topics that this process will address".
According to the statement, this first phase of contacts, in which the parties will remain "in permanent session", will last until August 12, by which date the continuity of the plenary will be defined. The announcement was disseminated shortly after the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, confirmed the start of the "national dialogue with opposition former deputies of the National Assembly 2015-2020".
The text disseminated by the AN of 2015 details that the participants have assumed a series of basic principles: respect for national sovereignty; good faith negotiation and seeking benefits for Venezuela; political, peaceful, democratic, and constitutional solution; mutual recognition and respect between the delegations; political equality and equal treatment at the negotiation table; verifiable compliance with the commitments made, and protection of the Human and political Rights of "all forces".
Dinorah Figuera, who replaced Juan Guaidó at the head of the opposition Parliament, has emphasized that with this meeting, "the process that will mark the path towards democracy and the reinstitutionalization of Venezuela" between both instances is set in motion. The former deputy has insisted on social networks that "we are working hard for freedom and democracy for Venezuelans".
Reaction of the United States to the start of the dialogue
At the same time, the Government of the United States has expressed its "satisfaction" with the arrival in Caracas of this group of representatives of the Venezuelan opposition, considering in a statement that "these direct conversations represent a unique opportunity".
The State Department has stated that "we applaud the efforts to address the urgent needs of those affected by the earthquakes of June 24, to expand political freedoms, and to promote a more stable and prosperous future for the Venezuelan people," reiterating its "support" for this process "led by Venezuela."
Likewise, the department headed by Marco Rubio has again referred to the three-phase plan designed by Washington for the country's economic recovery, along with "political reconciliation" and "peaceful transition" following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in an attack carried out by the U.S. Army against Caracas in early 2026.