2018: The Opposition Withdrew from the Presidential Election Dialogue

In September 2017, President Maduro and the Opposition Coalition (MUD) agreed to a Dialogue process to establish agreement on the rules for the 2018 Presidential election. Dialogue meetings were held in the Dominican Republic facilitated by Dominican President Danilo Medina and former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The opposition made several requests for government actions:[1][2]

•        Move the date of the election from December 2018 to early 2018 (Agreed to April 22)

•        Ask the UN to send a team to observe the election (Agreed)

•        Release detainees arrested for rioting (Agreed-80 prisoners were released in December 2017 with a promise to release more)

The Government had a single request: Work together to eliminate unilateral US sanctions against Venezuela (Agreed)

In January 2018, President Maduro denounced the US State Department for pressing the opposition to not sign an agreement.[3] On January 31, President Medina announced that a final agreement had been reached and would be signed in the following week.[4]

On February 8, 2018, President Maduro signed the Agreement. The Opposition did not sign the Agreement and withdrew from the dialogue talks.[1] Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez told news reporters that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had called opposition spokesman Julio Borges to convince him to call off the deal.[1]

Zapatero released a statement, saying:[1]

•        “A basic agreement had been reached on the electoral process with guarantees and consensus on the date of the elections and the position on the sanctions against Venezuela.”

•        “The parties had agreed to recognize the results of the election independently of the outcome.”

•        ” I find it shocking that the document was not signed by the opposition representation.”





1.      Boothroyd, R., Venezuelan Opposition Abandons Talks in Dominican Republic, Dismisses Deal with Gov’t, Venezuelanalysis, February 9, 2018

2.      Telesur, Dominican Republic: Release of 80 Detainees Will Boost Dialogue in Venezuela, Venezuelanalysis, December 26, 2017

3.      Alba Ciudad, President Maduro denounces pressure from the State Department to prevent dialogue, January 31, 2018

4.     4. Alba Ciudad, Venezuelan government and opposition will sign final agreement next Monday, January 31, 2018.

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