Secretary Marco Rubio announced progress in Venezuela’s regime transition following talks with Dinorah Figuera, Venezuela’s 2015 National Assembly President.
‘Following Operation Absolute Resolve, tangible progress has been achieved during the first two rounds of talks with the interim authorities,” Secretary Rubio wrote on X. “Looking ahead to the next round of talks beginning October 14, I look forward to continued progress that leads to lasting democratic change for the Venezuelan people.”
The Talks Are "Producing Significant Results"
According to a State Department Fact Sheet, the two rounds of talks have resulted in a complete reform and reconstruction of an independent Supreme Court, the restoration of access to over 70 previously blocked internet domains, and the reform of its 2017 Law Against Hared.
“The interim government has also released more than 1,000 political prisoners and announced the release of nearly 200 more,” a spokesperson for the State Department said.
Free Speech Reforms in Venezuela
Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez announced the reform to the controversial statute less than two weeks before Secretary Rubio’s recent talk with Figuera.
Seguimos dando pasos hacia una nueva etapa de convivencia ciudadana en Venezuela.
He solicitado a la Asamblea Nacional la reforma parcial de la Ley Constitucional contra el Odio, por la Convivencia Pacífica y la Tolerancia, para avanzar en la despenalización de los tipos penales https://t.co/FxlzX9gFkS
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) September 29, 2026
Maduro And His Wife Charged With Torture
The State Department’s announcement comes a day after a new unsealed indictment revealed that former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has been charged with torture alongside other charges.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, has also been accused of orchestrating the torture of people held in his regime’s custody.
According to the indictment, Maduro allegedly “continued to oversee the development of a more systematic approach to unlawfully arresting and torturing dissident,” ordering who would be arrested and tortured “as opposition to the ruling regime intensified.”
Future of Reconciliation Talks
Per the State Department, the upcoming third round of reconciliation talks will prioritize finalizing the Venezuelan Supreme Court’s selection process.
They will also seek to provide participation guarantees for individuals and political parties needed for credible elections.
“The Trump Administration will continue to support this Venezuelan-led process as it moves from dialogue to durable democratic institutions,” the State Department spokesperson said.
