US-Backed Transition Talks Begin in Caracas After Maduro Seizure

The United States Department of State welcomed the start of in-person political transition talks in Caracas on August 6, 2026. Held at the La Carlota military base, the negotiations bring together Venezuela's interim government, led by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, and an opposition delegation headed by former lawmaker Dinorah Figuera.

These talks follow a January 3 U.S. military operation that seized former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were transported to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Following those events, Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president on January 5. The current dialogue is part of a three-phase U.S. plan focused on stabilization, economic recovery, and political reconciliation.

Key agenda items include reforming the national election body and the Supreme Court of Justice, as well as coordinating a response to the June 24 earthquakes that killed over 6,000 people. While the parties agreed to negotiate in good faith for a constitutional solution, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado was not invited to the talks. Machado, who remains in exile, expressed support for the transition via social media, though reports indicate President Donald Trump may have vetoed her return to Venezuela.