Negotiations during the Venezuelan crisis
Negotiations during the Venezuelan crisis have involved repeated attempts by the government of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition to talk and reach agreements. Although many talks and roundtables took place, none produced a lasting solution by 2023.
Early tensions and the Constitution
- In the run-up to the 1999 Constitution, big business groups like Fedecámaras grew distrustful of Chávez. Carmona, a Fedecámaras leader, said the constitutional process lacked real dialogue with businesspeople.
- The new constitution gave the president more power, limited some legislative checks, and expanded state-led economic ideas. Many feared this would curb private and economic freedoms.
- In 1999, there were calls to vote against the constitution. Fedecámaras also opposed it for related reasons.
The 2001-2002 turn to conflict and limited dialogue
- In 2001, Carmona became Fedecámaras president and held talks with Chávez. They set up a dialogue table, but no real agreement emerged. Chávez kept moving ahead with laws.
- Chávez used the Enabling Law to pass 49 laws in November 2001, including the Land and Agrarian Development Law. This law let the state seize private land under certain conditions and required owners to prove ownership by December, risking loss of land otherwise.
- Carmona proposed a national strike to pressure for change, which gained some support but did not stop the government. The strike is seen as a milestone for civil society standing up to authorities, but it did not resolve the crisis.
- The government then reshuffled parts of its cabinet, signaling that the crisis was not about to ease.
Efforts by business groups and media debates
- A parliamentary group funded by the Organization of American States, known as the Boston Group, brought together business and government voices to discuss issues like media law and social responsibility. Much of what they argued over was not adopted, and the group faded away a few years later.
Rises in protests and limited national talks
- The 2014 National Conference for Peace brought together various sectors, but the opposition, the MUD, boycotted some talks. A first round of discussions was hosted in Miraflores Palace with international mediators, including UNASUR and the Vatican, but no lasting agreement followed. Pope Francis sent a message encouraging dialogue, though results remained elusive.
The recall vote, protests, and talks abroad
- In 2016 the recall referendum process was blocked by the electoral authorities amid accusations of irregularities, fueling protests. In 2017, after the attempted forceful action known as Operación Gedeón, Maduro and the opposition tried again to negotiate, this time in the Dominican Republic, but the talks did not resolve the crisis. Polls at the time showed many Venezuelans were skeptical about the negotiations.
International mediation and several rounds (2019-2020)
- In January 2019, Mexico and Uruguay urged talks to ease tensions. Other international actors joined the effort, including the EU with the creation of the International Contact Group on Venezuela.
- In early 2019 there were high-profile discussions in Barbados between Maduro and the opposition led by Juan Guaidó. By September, Guaidó said the opposition had ended the Barbados talks because the government did not participate consistently and due to U.S. sanctions.
- Norway later hosted talks as part of ongoing mediation efforts, but no breakthrough was reached.
- In early 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there were new proposals. The United States floated a transitional government plan that would exclude both Maduro and Guaidó, with elections within six to twelve months and sanctions relief in exchange for reforms. The plan also called for the release of political prisoners and a five-member leadership council. The EU signaled support if a deal moved forward. Guaidó accepted the proposal while the Maduro government rejected it, insisting on its own path to elections.
Ongoing attempts and public opinion
- Negotiations continued to surface at different times, with varying degrees of international involvement and domestic acceptance. The opposition and Maduro’s government repeatedly used dialogue to try to shape outcomes, but a lasting, widely accepted agreement remained out of reach.
- Public opinion in Venezuela has been divided about negotiations. For example, a 2017 poll showed that about half of Venezuelans disagreed with the Dominican Republic talks, reflecting deep hesitation about whether dialogue could bring real change.
In short, negotiations have been a recurring tool for both sides, but they have not delivered a durable resolution to Venezuela’s crisis.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:46 (CET).