Venezuelan opposition leader Ecarri backs U.S.-led dialogue for transition

Venezuelan opposition politician Antonio Ecarri has welcomed the U.S.-brokered dialogue aimed at facilitating a political transition in the country. Ecarri expressed his support for the ongoing negotiations between the current Chavista-controlled parliament and the 2015 parliament, which asserts its continuity.

"We welcome that common sense prevails and that we have mechanisms for negotiation, conversation, and consensus building," Ecarri stated in a video. As a candidate for the Alianza del Lápiz party in the 2024 presidential elections, he highlighted that a key objective of these talks is to establish a National Electoral Council (CNE) that "strengthens the confidence of Venezuelans."

"The objective must be clear: to build a pluralistic CNE, with guarantees for all. That it safeguards elections and strengthens the confidence of Venezuelans," Ecarri wrote on X, accompanying his message with a video. His remarks followed the return of Dinorah Figuera, president of the 2015 parliament, to Venezuela after eight years in exile. Figuera was summoned by the U.S. State Department for discussions concerning a political transition.

Figuera stated in a recent interview that one of her goals is to form a "vigorous, credible, and transparent" CNE. This initiative comes after Venezuela's largest opposition bloc proposed "serious, firm, and responsible" negotiations, led by María Corina Machado, with the interim government and U.S. accompaniment. The aim is to "restore democracy" through "free, transparent, and sovereign presidential elections." The Chavista government, however, has previously stated it is not considering negotiations with the majority opposition, especially not with Machado.