Venezuela to include opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in reconciliation talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Manila during an ASEAN meeting that Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, a 2025 Nobel Peace laureate, could play a role in the country’s upcoming national reconciliation process. Rubio said the United States will “facilitate but not dictate” the talks, which are slated to begin on 1 August between the ruling chavista government and the National Assembly elected in 2015.

Opposition leader Dinorah Figuera, president of the 2015 Assembly, echoed Rubio’s remarks, announcing that all democratic sectors will be invited to contribute to the dialogue’s roadmap and describing Machado as “very important” to the effort. Former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles also warned that any negotiation excluding Machado would be doomed to fail.

The talks come amid a severe humanitarian crisis following a recent double earthquake that killed more than 5 000 people and injured tens of thousands, underscoring the urgency of a political settlement for Venezuela’s stability.