Venezuelan government, opposition agree to work towards reform of top court

What the report says

Venezuela’s interim government and opposition have agreed to begin work on reforming the country’s Supreme Court of Justice after a second round of political dialogue in Caracas, according to Al Jazeera, AFP and Reuters. The sides said they will set up a seven-member committee to review how candidates for the court are selected and continue examining laws that could support wider judicial reform.

The talks brought together government representatives led by National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez and the opposition delegation headed by Dinorah Figuera, who represents the bloc that won Venezuela’s last widely recognized election in 2015. The agreement is being presented as the first concrete step toward changes promised by interim President Delcy Rodriguez, though the article says critics argue the new authorities have been slow to deliver broader political opening.

Al Jazeera reported that the interim government, which took power after Nicolas Maduro’s removal in January, has moved closer to the United States while facing questions over continuity in state institutions and human rights practices. The article also notes that the government and opposition had already met in August, when they agreed to pursue judicial overhaul and seek the return of Venezuelan assets frozen in Britain. A further round of talks is planned for next month.