ESEN
Statements

Joint Statement — August 12

Caracas, August 12, 2026. — The country is hereby informed of the conclusion of the First Cycle of Talks between the National Government and Venezuela’s 2015 National Assembly, with the following results and agreements:

  1. The operating methodology for this initiative and its technical working groups was approved.
  2. Two technical working groups were established for this cycle:
    a) Response to the emergency caused by the twin earthquakes;
    b) Strengthening democracy, the Judicial Branch, and the Electoral Branch.
  3. Five working sessions were held by the technical working groups, along with five plenary sessions between the two delegations.

The parties agree as follows:

  1. In view of the magnitude of the tragedy caused by the twin earthquakes of June 24, and in order to continue assisting the victims of these seismic events, the parties agreed to strengthen assistance programs related to housing, electricity, healthcare, and debris removal.
    In this regard, both parties will focus their efforts on promoting the recovery of Venezuela’s international reserve assets held at the Bank of England, while establishing mechanisms for transparency, traceability, and auditing to ensure their efficient use and guarantee the well-being of all those affected.
  2. Initiate a process that contributes to the transformation of the justice system, focusing on:
    a) Reforming the Organic Law of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) and other laws governing the justice system.
    b) Renewing and expanding the Judicial Nominations Committee.
    c) Launching a new nomination process for the renewal and appointment of all TSJ justices.
    d) Establishing a council to review the credentials and eligibility requirements of all nominees to the TSJ, ensuring compliance with the Constitution, the law, and the established evaluation criteria.

The implementation timetable for these agreements will begin in August with official announcements and concrete actions, under an ongoing work mechanism designed to ensure strict compliance with every commitment.

For the Delegation of the National Government
Dr. Jorge Rodríguez

For the Delegation of Venezuela’s 2015 National Assembly
Dr. Dinorah Figuera