Venezuela transition talks open in Caracas without Machado as US watches closely

US-backed political transition talks between Venezuela's interim government and opposition representatives opened on Thursday at the La Carlota military base in Caracas, seven months after American forces seized President Nicolas Maduro. The dialogue marks the first formal, in-person negotiation since the dramatic shift in power and is being closely monitored by Washington.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, who has governed under US oversight since Maduro's removal, is represented at the table by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. The opposition delegation is led by Dinorah Figuera, who returned from exile on Wednesday to head the bloc that won a majority in the 2015 National Assembly, the last legislature elected in a vote widely recognised internationally.

Key absences and competing visions

Missing from the negotiations is Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition favourite who remains in exile. Washington has reportedly vetoed her return, a claim the US denies. Machado said on X that she would not obstruct the process, writing that a democratic transition would restore freedom and prosperity while creating "a vital and reliable ally for the national security of the United States and regional stability."

"We are focused on the official opening this week of this dialogue process, which seeks the restoration of democratic institutions,"

Figuera told Televen upon arrival. She has called for reforms to the Supreme Court of Justice and the National Electoral Council, both criticised for validating Maduro's disputed 2024 re-election, which the opposition rejected amid allegations of widespread fraud.

Earthquake response and institutional reform on the agenda

The official agenda released by both sides prioritises the response to the twin earthquakes of 24 June, which left more than 6,000 dead, alongside measures to strengthen democracy and political rights. Only photographers were granted access to the sessions at La Carlota.

The US State Department welcomed the start of talks, calling them a "unique opportunity" and urging all parties to deliver tangible results for Venezuelans, including stabilisation, economic recovery, political reconciliation and a peaceful transition.

Economic opening underpins US satisfaction

President Donald Trump has expressed repeated satisfaction with Delcy Rodriguez's administration, which has opened Venezuela's mining, electricity and oil sectors to foreign and private capital. That economic liberalisation aligns with Washington's broader strategic interests, even as the political track remains fragile.

With Figuera's delegation now at the table and the interim government signalling openness to institutional change, the coming weeks will reveal whether the dialogue can produce a credible roadmap to elections, or whether the absence of Machado and the weight of US influence will limit its legitimacy in the eyes of Venezuelans.