Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuelan opposition lawmakers in exile after years of political persecution have agreed on a new roadmap to resolve the current situation in Venezuela, six months after the arrest of Nicolas Maduro by U.S. special forces in Panama City in late May.
In an effort to establish concrete actions that could bring about political change in the country, the opposition Democratic Unity Platform, members of Maria Corina Machado’s Vente Venezuela movement and other prominent figures agreed to negotiate with Delcy Rodriguez’s government while demanding new elections and the release of political prisoners.
The Panama Declaration states, “We express our determination, with the support of the United States Government, to pursue serious, firm, and responsible political negotiations with the interim regime to restore democracy in Venezuela.”
While the opposition presents a united front willing to negotiate, some analysts say the declaration fails to address some of the biggest challenges that could arise during the multi-year political transition.
Oswaldo Ramírez, a Miami-based Venezuelan political risk consultant, said: Latin America Report The opposition’s decision is part of a strategic shift focused on three key elements:
The first is an attempt to maintain legitimacy after a controversial election in 2024 in which their candidate, Edmundo González, lost to Maduro in what the opposition and independent observers alike called election fraud.
Second, according to Ramírez, the opposition must maintain the trust of its traditional supporters while also building trust with Venezuelans who have not historically aligned with their cause but nonetheless believe that now is the time for political change in the country.
Finally, he pointed out that the opposition aims, through its manifesto, to rejoin Donald Trump’s three-step plan for Venezuela’s economic and political stability and transformation, a plan that has so far effectively sidelined opposition leader María Corina Machado.
new round of negotiations
Ramirez said Machado shifted his rhetoric toward negotiations with the interim government because he came to understand that the country was entering a very different phase.
“The road to rebuilding Venezuela is not easy because it could take up to 10 years,” he said, referring to the process the country would undergo if the government and opposition parties reach an agreement. This is something the public has not yet fully grasped.
Ramírez believes the current situation spans many areas, from the economy to the importance of civil society regaining greater power over various freedoms that have been curtailed in recent years.
He said Venezuelans have high expectations for the current “honeymoon” phase between the United States and the Venezuelan government, but was confident their patience would run out if concrete results were not forthcoming.
“The public has positive expectations and hope, but this is not a blank check,” he emphasized.
Jesús Medina Molleda, a political scientist and director of the media outlet Polianalítica, opined that the declaration does not actually include all factions of the opposition, which he sees as a serious problem for the country’s future course.
He said we must understand too. Latin America ReportMany opposition figures aspire to office, and “some will be upset because they have endured the whole process without leaving the country, while others will simply want to return to take on the positions of those who left the country and are now staying behind.”
This division between politicians who remain in Venezuela and those who have gone abroad “creates internal conflicts that could lead to future divisions if they fail to fully understand and recognize each other.”
Medina Molleda’s main criticism of the manifesto is that it focuses too much on the demands of the opposition and not enough on ordinary citizens.
“This is a political document that serves political interests, but has nothing to do with the agenda of Venezuelans who will be the future voters as the elections approach,” he said.
He added that Venezuelans’ main concern is the economy and perhaps that is one of the document’s weaknesses.
“Showing a united opposition is a good start, but we must continue to work to understand that there are more factions within the opposition than they realize,” he concluded.
Featured image: Maria Corina Machado at the presentation of the Panama Declaration.
Image Credit: El Comando Con Venezuela via X.
