Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§9703 Advancing a negotiated solution to Venezuela’s crisis

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 104— - VENEZUELA ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - SUPPORT FOR THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA AND RECOGNITION OF THE VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY › § 9703

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Congress says the United States should back direct, credible talks led by the Interim President of Venezuela and members of Venezuela’s democratically elected National Assembly. Those talks should include Venezuelan civil society and are seen as the best chance to: hold a new presidential election that meets international standards; end Nicolás Maduro’s takeover of presidential powers; restore democracy and the rule of law; free political prisoners; and help get humanitarian aid to people who need it. Congress also says past talks failed because Maduro did not participate credibly. Talks that began in October 2017 with support from Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, and Nicaragua failed, and talks that began in October 2016 with support from the Vatican also failed. The U.S. policy is to support diplomatic efforts to reach the peaceful, negotiated solution described above.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §9703

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the sense of Congress that—

(1)direct, credible negotiations led by the Interim President of Venezuela and members of Venezuela’s democratically elected National Assembly—

(A)are supported by stakeholders in the international community that have recognized the Interim President of Venezuela;

(B)include the input and interests of Venezuelan civil society; and

(C)represent the best opportunity to reach a solution to the Venezuelan crisis that includes—

(i)holding a new presidential election that complies with international standards for a free, fair, and transparent electoral process;

(ii)ending Nicolás Maduro’s usurpation of presidential authorities;

(iii)restoring democracy and the rule of law;

(iv)freeing political prisoners; and

(v)facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid;

(2)dialogue between the Maduro regime and representatives of the political opposition that commenced in October 2017, and were supported by the Governments of Mexico, of Chile, of Bolivia, and of Nicaragua, did not result in an agreement because the Maduro regime failed to credibly participate in the process; and

(3)negotiations between the Maduro regime and representatives of the political opposition that commenced in October 2016, and were supported by the Vatican, did not result in an agreement because the Maduro regime failed to credibly participate in the process.

(b)It is the policy of the United States to support diplomatic engagement in order to advance a negotiated and peaceful solution to Venezuela’s political, economic, and humanitarian crisis that is described in subsection (a)(1).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 9703

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73