Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§9703 Advancing a Negotiated Solution to Venezuela’s Crisis

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States supports direct, credible talks led by the Interim President and Venezuela’s democratically elected National Assembly. Those talks should have backing from international partners who recognize the Interim President and include input from Venezuelan civil society. The talks aim to reach a solution that includes holding a new presidential election that meets international standards, ending Nicolás Maduro’s takeover of presidential powers, restoring democracy and the rule of law, freeing political prisoners, and allowing humanitarian aid. Previous talks that began in October 2017 (backed by Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, and Nicaragua) and October 2016 (backed by the Vatican) failed because Maduro did not participate credibly. 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)Sense of Congress

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)Policy

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110