The Daily Journal.- The U.S. Department of State highlighted progress on political and judicial reforms and civil liberties following the conclusion of the third round of negotiations between Delcy Rodríguez’s interim government and the opposition delegation linked to the National Assembly elected in 2015, led by Dinorah Figuera.
In a statement released Thursday, the Donald Trump administration welcomed the continuation of the dialogue process. It said the talks aim to strengthen democratic institutions and lay the groundwork for free, fair, and credible elections.
“This Venezuelan-led process continues to strengthen democratic institutions, expand political freedoms, and lay the groundwork for free, fair, and credible elections,” State Department spokesperson Thomas “Tommy” Pigott said.
The latest round yielded concrete progress, including a commitment to review and amend several laws the White House described as repressive, expand political and social freedoms, and ensure the participation of all political actors.
Judicial reform and release of political prisoners
Among the developments the State Department highlighted was progress toward rebuilding an independent Supreme Court of Justice, with the process moving toward selecting 32 new justices, according to the statement.
Washington also emphasized improvements in press freedom. According to the State Department, authorities have restored access to more than 70 previously blocked websites since the negotiations began.
The department also noted progress in efforts to reform the Law Against Hate, legislation that opposition groups and human rights organizations have criticized for its impact on freedom of expression.
Regarding political prisoners, the U.S. government stated that the interim administration has released a significant number of political detainees since the negotiations began. The statement added that authorities have released more than 1,000 people since Operation Absolute Resolve.
“We continue to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners,” the State Department said.
Agreement on Venezuelan gold
The statement also highlighted an agreement to recover Venezuelan gold holdings at the Bank of England and allocate the assets to relief efforts to address earthquake damage.
The delegations discussed managing these assets during the third round of negotiations, along with reviewing laws on political disqualifications and other institutional reforms.
Rubio supports Figuera’s leadership
The State Department reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Dinorah Figuera on October 9, praised her leadership, and urged continued progress on political freedoms and electoral reform.
The statement places the negotiations within Washington’s broader strategy for Venezuela, which consists of three phases: stabilization, economic recovery, and political reconciliation, to achieve a peaceful democratic transition.
“The Trump Administration remains committed to supporting this Venezuelan-led process as part of President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s three-phase plan,” the statement said.
The third round of negotiations concluded after several days of meetings between representatives of the interim government and the opposition faction linked to the 2015 National Assembly. Both sides have announced progress in reviewing legislation and establishing mechanisms to manage Venezuelan gold holdings at the Bank of England. However, they have yet to define the scope of the reforms and the conditions for future electoral processes.
