Rubio backs Venezuela dialogue, urges electoral reform before Oct. 14 talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Venezuelan opposition leader Dinorah Figuera in Washington on Friday, reaffirming American support for the dialogue she leads with the Maduro government. Rubio said the process has U.S. backing at the highest levels and must lead to free, democratic elections and credible institutions.

The State Department said Rubio urged faster progress on political freedoms and electoral reform before the next round of talks begins on October 14. He praised Figuera's leadership and cited tangible gains from the first two rounds, including steps toward an independent Supreme Court, the release of more than 1,200 political prisoners, the unblocking of news websites, and reform of the Hate Law used to prosecute dissent.

“Without a doubt it has to result in free and democratic elections”

Figuera, who headed the 2015 opposition-controlled National Assembly, negotiates with Jorge Rodríguez, president of the current National Assembly and brother of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is not part of the talks and remains outside Venezuela.

Rubio insisted any outcome must include all sectors of society and produce not just elections but durable democratic institutions. The Trump administration views the dialogue as a historic opportunity for lasting democratic change in Venezuela.