Venezuela’s interim government and political opposition concluded a second round of negotiations, announcing an agreement to pursue reforms of the nation’s highest court. The deal, revealed on Friday, marks the first concrete advancement on judicial reform commitments made by interim President Delcy Rodriguez.
Under the arrangement, both sides appointed a seven-member committee to examine the selection process for court candidates. The parties committed to continuing their analysis of legal changes required for transforming the broader judicial system. The government delegation was headed by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, while opposition representatives were led by Dinorah Figuera, a figure from the bloc that secured victory in Venezuela’s last internationally recognized election.
The interim administration assumed control following the US military’s removal of former President Nicolas Maduro in January. Since then, the government has moved to strengthen ties with the United States, though progress on pledged political system reforms has been limited. An agreement granting the US significant control over Venezuelan oil reserves has drawn comparisons from observers to colonial-era arrangements imposed on resource-rich nations.
Human rights advocates have noted that security and law enforcement mechanisms from the previous administration remain operational despite assurances of reform. During remarks at the United Nations General Assembly this week, Rodriguez referenced upcoming elections but did not provide specific dates. She met separately with US President Donald Trump at the assembly, discussing potential restructuring of Venezuela’s sovereign debt alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The two sides previously held talks in August, when they established goals for judicial overhaul and recovery of Venezuelan assets held by the Bank of England. Additional negotiations are scheduled for next month.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI