Venezuela's National Assembly and a U.S.-backed opposition faction have agreed to launch a joint working agenda on August 1, targeting democratic institutional reforms and post-disaster recovery after devastating earthquakes struck the country last month.
The talks originally began on June 18 when Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez met with Dinorah Figuera, who leads an opposition alternative parliament and returned from exile in Spain after receiving an invitation from the U.S. State Department. The process was suspended following the June 24 earthquakes that killed more than 4,300 people. The roadmap prioritizes strengthening the electoral system and restoring guarantees for political participation. Opposition leader María Corina Machado declined to return, citing the disaster and U.S. government intervention.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared the joint statement on X, and both sides thanked Washington for its backing.