Venezuelan opposition group demands electoral issues be the next topic in political dialogue

Caracas, Venezuela – The opposition group Unión y Cambio has insisted that electoral matters must be the "first point of discussion" in the next phase of dialogue between the government and opposition factions. This call follows the conclusion of the first cycle of talks, which focused on justice and the recovery of assets abroad.

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the first point of discussion

Tomás Guanipa, a deputy with the coalition, emphasized the "very important" need to address electoral issues promptly. He stressed the necessity of a "radical" change to the National Electoral Council, which he claims is controlled by Chavismo, as a prerequisite for establishing a timeline for presidential elections.

Guanipa welcomed the agreement to fully renew the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which he described as "totally corrupted" and "in the hands of mafias." He believes changing the court’s leadership is crucial to ending the government’s control over the judiciary. Unión y Cambio plans to recruit academics, jurists, and lawyers to apply for positions within this reformed judicial system, aiming for a system that ensures judges’ tenure and accessibility, particularly for the poor.

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very important

During a press conference, Guanipa also voiced the group's demand for the release of more than 300 political prisoners, stating that their continued detention is unjustifiable amid efforts to strengthen democracy. The opposition coalition hopes for news regarding their liberation in the coming days.

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radical

The recent dialogue cycle saw the government and a faction of the opposition agree on reforming the Supreme Tribunal and recovering gold held in the Bank of England to aid victims of a recent earthquake. Notably, prominent opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia are not participating in these talks. Ex-deputy Dinorah Figuera pledged to work towards further prisoner releases in the immediate future.

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is totally corrupted