New Actor: María Corina Machado and Edmundo González set talks conditions

María Corina Machado and Edmundo González issued a joint statement ahead of talks set to open Aug. 1. They said they will not take part in the dialogue between the government and the bloc of lawmakers elected in 2015, though they will not stand in the way of efforts that deliver concrete steps toward a transition. They added they were not involved in setting up the mechanism.

They set conditions they will use to judge any negotiation. These include restoring democratic institutions, freeing all political prisoners, guarantees for participation for all political actors, a prompt calendar for presidential elections, and full respect for the popular will.

They asked the organizers to explain the talks’ objectives, how they will work, and their timetable. They said citizen-led aid after the June 24 earthquakes was blocked, diverted and controlled, and argued that rebuilding requires a new government with moral authority and managerial capacity. They pledged to return to Venezuela to stand with the public during reconstruction.

They reaffirmed their claim to a mandate from the opposition primary held on Oct. 22, 2023, and the presidential vote of July 28, 2024. The talks are slated to cover institutional recovery, the electoral system, guarantees for political participation and reconstruction after the earthquakes.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources