Venezuela govt, opposition to work on 'strengthening democracy'

Venezuela's interim government will launch formal talks with some opposition members next month, more than six months after the US toppling of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro, the country's assembly speaker announced Tuesday.

Just days before the devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela last month which killed thousands, exiled opposition figure Dinorah Figuera traveled to Caracas to hold meetings with representatives of interim president Delcy Rodriguez's government.

On her US-backed trip, Figuera met with assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez, the brother of Delcy Rodriguez, sparking hopes that momentum finally was building towards a democratic transition.

The devastating June 24 earthquakes appeared to deal a setback to the process.

But in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday, Jorge Rodriguez announced that the launch of a joint working group with opposition figures on August 1 "for the purposes of strengthening democracy."

He added: "Only through unity can we move forward with reconstruction and the maintenance of peace."

The earthquakes killed over 4,700 people, left thousands more unaccounted for, destroyed scores of buildings and damaged hundreds more, according to official figures.

Among the buildings affected was the Legislative Palace, which suffered "significant damage," according to the government, prompting lawmakers on Tuesday to hold a session in another building.

- Machado silence -

Figuera leads a group representing the 2015-2020 legislature -- which was controlled by the opposition and was recognized by Washington as Venezuela's legitimate legislative body, over a rival parliament loyal to the authoritarian leftist Maduro.

In a statement on her X account, Figuera said she would work "to promote a bilateral technical and political roadmap...to consolidate the path toward the recovery of democracy in Venezuela."

On X she shared a statement from a group of opposition figures saying that talks would prioritize "strengthening democratic institutions, the electoral system, and restoring guarantees for political participation."

Machado, the undisputed opposition leader for many Venezuelans, had yet to comment on Figuera's initiative.

So far she had been sidelined by the United States in Venezuela's transition, with Washington making clear its first priority is stability.

After being barred from running in 2024 elections, Machado backed opposition senator Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia against Maduro.

The opposition's tally of results showed a hands-down win for Gonzalez Urrutia but Maduro nonetheless claimed victory, with the support of only a handful of countries, including Russia.

Both Gonzalez Urrutia and Machado later went into exile.

With Maduro now behind bars in New York, awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges, they are now calling for new elections.

But despite Machado making a show of presenting President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize last year, Washington has shown little support for the prospect of her returning to Venezuela.

Trump has, by contrast, lavished praise on Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former deputy, who has appeared eager to comply with his agenda.