The Venezuelan National Assembly announced this Tuesday a ‘joint roadmap’ with the opposition aimed at the reconstruction of the Latin American country after the double earthquake on June 24, a plan in which members of the parallel opposition Parliament established in 2015 will participate.
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“Within the framework of the call for national unity to face together the consequences of the seismic doublet that mourns us, and for the strengthening of democracy, we announce the start of a joint work plan with former members of the 2015-2020 National Assembly starting next August 1,” said the Parliament chaired by Jorge Rodríguez in a statement.
The assembly indicated that “the unanimous international support” to the Venezuelan people and the Government “to face the tragedy” demonstrated that “only in unity” can “progress be made in reconstruction and in maintaining peace.”
For its part, the parallel opposition Parliament established in 2015 has also confirmed in a statement the joint work agenda, which aims to “promote stability, democracy, and national recovery, constituting the beginning of the construction of a new stage that will lead to a Venezuela of progress and freedoms.”
The plan seeks to strengthen “democratic institutions, the electoral system, and the restoration of guarantees for political participation.” “The emergency caused by the earthquakes has highlighted the importance of acting with unity, responsibility, and a vision for the future,” it noted.
In this regard, it indicated that the support of countries like the United States shows that Venezuela “is not alone.” “We reaffirm our commitment to continue advancing on this roadmap through technical and institutional work to contribute to the country’s reconstruction,” it emphasized.
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The 2015 National Assembly has expressed its gratitude to Washington “for its firm support to the Venezuelan people, both in the immediate response to the humanitarian emergency and in its accompaniment of efforts aimed at the country’s recovery, the consolidation of stability, and the strengthening of Venezuela’s democratic institutions.”
Former opposition deputy Dinorah Figuera, who replaced Juan Guaidó as President of the opposition Assembly, stated in a message on her social networks that she assumes “the commitment and political will to promote a bilateral technical and political roadmap.”
This plan, she indicated, will be based “on a work agenda with concrete objectives and milestones that allows addressing the fundamental issues to consolidate the path towards the recovery of democracy in Venezuela.” “We raise the flags of faith and hope,” she said, without giving further details.
The announcement — which has been republished on the personal social networks of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — thus points to the start of negotiations with the government of the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, to advance towards democratic transition after the earthquakes , which have left more than 4,560 dead and 16,740 injured.
This coincides with the three-phase plan recently outlined by the Trump Administration, which contemplates stabilizing the Latin American country with a view to national reconciliation between Chavismo and the opposition, and possible elections following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation last January in the capital, Caracas.
