US-backed Venezuela transition talks begin without Nobel laureate Machado

US-backed political transition talks between Venezuela's interim government and opposition representatives began Thursday in Caracas, according to an AFP photographer at the scene. The talks come seven months after US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro, with interim leader Delcy Rodriguez governing under Washington's watch. Venezuelans hope the dialogue will eventually pave the way for elections in the crisis-hit South American nation.

Notably absent from the talks is opposition favorite and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, who lives in exile and was not invited to join the discussion. Instead, the opposition is represented by Dinorah Figuera, who returned to Venezuela from exile on Wednesday. Figuera leads the opposition bloc that won a majority in the 2015 National Assembly, the last legislature elected in a vote widely recognized by the international community. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, the interim leader's brother, is representing the government.

"We are focused on the official opening this week of this dialogue process, which seeks the restoration of democratic institutions," Figuera told TV station Televen upon arrival at the airport. She has also called for changes to the Supreme Court of Justice and the National Electoral Council, two institutions widely criticized for validating Maduro's disputed 2024 reelection. The opposition rejected the result, claiming victory and alleging widespread electoral fraud.

The US State Department welcomed Figuera's delegation "for the start of in-person talks" with the interim government. "These direct talks present a unique opportunity," it said, urging "all concerned to support this effort to deliver tangible results for Venezuelans." It stressed the importance of achieving "stabilisation, economic recovery and political reconciliation, and a peaceful transition."

The talks are being held at La Carlota military base, with only photographers granted access. According to the official agenda released by both sides, they will discuss the response to the twin earthquakes of June 24, which left more than 6,000 dead, as well as strengthening democracy and political rights.

Machado has said she will not stand in the way of the process. "A democratic transition in Venezuela will restore our freedom and our prosperity," she wrote on X, adding that it would create "a vital and reliable ally for the national security of the United States and regional stability." "The Venezuelan people are eager and ready!" she said. Despite gifting her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump, the US leader has reportedly vetoed her return to Venezuela, a claim Washington denies. Trump has meanwhile repeatedly expressed satisfaction with Rodriguez, who has opened Venezuela's mining, electricity and oil sectors to foreign and private capital.