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Name? Dinorah Figuera
Westphalian identity? Venezuelan
Age? 65
Why is she in the news? Dinorah Figuera, the President of Venezuela’s IV National Assembly, has been selected to lead the Venezuelan opposition’s talks with the interim government, which will be represented by the acting President’s brother, Jorge Rodríguez. The talks, which Figuera has described as covering a “road map to democracy,” are set to begin on August 1st. Figuera had been living in exile in Spain since 2018 following “threats and harassment,” but had returned to Venezuela days before the deadly twin-earthquakes.
Why do we care? Figuera was appointed to lead the talks by the US State Department, surprising those who expected the popular opposition leader María Corina Machado to be appointed. Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize before giving it to US President Donald Trump, has been warned by Trump not to return to Venezuela despite her attempts to do so. Figuera represents a more moderate approach to a post-Maduro government in Venezuela compared to Machado, and as such, the U.S. trusts her to negotiate with the interim government.
Why should you care? These will be the first talks the Venezuelan government has had with the opposition since the controversial 2024 elections. Following the US capture of President Maduro in January, Venezuelans have been hoping for a democratic transition, though the idea has not gained much momentum since. These upcoming talks offer an opportunity for a change in government structure to be discussed, and potentially pushed for with US support.
Who else cares? The US State Department has been in deep collaboration with Venezuela since Maduro’s capture, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio “effectively controlling” the country. Its interest in the talks lies in continuing Venezuela’s economic liberalisation, and ensuring the country’s oil market remains accessible to the US.
Any further comments? Jorge Rodríguez made a statement framing the upcoming talks around post-earthquake unity, over the priorities of the talks.
