Venezuela Opposition leader Machado says won't take part in U.S.-backed talks
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has announced that she will not participate in upcoming U.S.-backed talks with the de facto government. The decision follows ongoing political instability and disputed election results in the country.
Why it matters
This refusal signals a potential breakdown in diplomatic efforts to resolve Venezuela's long-standing political crisis and complicates international reconciliation initiatives.
Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Sunday (July 26, 2026) she will not participate in U.S.-backed talks with the de facto government of Delcy Rodriguez that are scheduled for August.
In a statement co-signed by Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who ran for President in Venezuela's 2024 elections, Ms. Machado said the Opposition would "not participate" in the "design, development and operation" of the talks.
In mid-July, Ms. Rodriguez's interim government and a group of former Opposition members of parliament from the 2015-2020 term announced a work plan for "strengthening democracy" in the country.
"It is not our place to explain its scope and decisions. Those promoting it must inform the country of its objectives, its method, and its timeline," reads Ms. Machado's statement, which was shared on social media.
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