Venezuela government and opposition agree to review four laws after third dialogue round

Representatives of the Venezuelan government and the 2015-elected National Assembly concluded the third round of dialogue on Wednesday night, 21 October 2026, in Caracas. The two delegations committed to reviewing four laws related to political guarantees and citizen participation.

The laws to be reviewed are the Political Parties, Public Meetings and Demonstrations Law; the Organic Law of the General Comptroller of the Republic and the National System of Fiscal Control regarding disqualifications; the Libertador Simón Bolívar Organic Law; and the Organic Law against Organized Crime and Financing of Terrorism regarding the definition and typification of terrorism.

“The agreement contemplates reviewing the regulation but does not establish that Article 105 will be repealed or that disqualified persons will automatically recover their political rights.”

The joint statement also contemplates creating a Defender of Political Guarantees and Citizen Participation as a protection body for those rights. The parties agreed to establish processes to evaluate and seek solutions for situations that contravene access to and guarantees of political rights.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced that Parliament will swear in the Judicial Nominations Committee on Thursday, 22 October, after designating 12 civil society representatives. He also said the fourth dialogue cycle will take place between 11 and 15 November.

Opposition delegate Sergio Vergara said the review of the comptroller law seeks to address political disqualifications, particularly Article 105, which empowers the comptroller general to impose disqualifications for holding public office. He stated the debate is relevant so María Corina Machado and other opposition figures can participate in future elections.

Vergara clarified that the agreement contemplates reviewing the regulation but does not establish that Article 105 will be repealed or that disqualified persons will automatically recover their political rights.

The second source reported that the third cycle included six working days, two plenaries, 15 working meetings, and four technical tables covering democracy and the judiciary, freedom of expression, the emergency from the double earthquake and gold recovery in the United Kingdom, and political, economic and social guarantees.