Venezuela talks end with agreement on judicial reform and frozen funds
Venezuela's interim government and opposition wrapped up their first round of talks with agreements to reform the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and pursue access to the country's frozen reserves at the Bank of England. The funds are meant to help finance recovery from June's devastating earthquakes.
Venezuela's interim government and opposition representatives reached agreement on two key fronts as their first round of talks concluded Wednesday: a reform package restructuring the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, and a joint request for access to billions of dollars in reserves frozen at the Bank of England.
The frozen funds belong to Venezuela's central bank and have sat blocked in London for years. Both sides agreed the money should go toward financing reconstruction after the earthquakes that struck the country in June, killing and displacing thousands.
Negotiators said a second round of talks would begin in the coming weeks, though a timeline for implementing the judicial reform has not been finalized. Analysts note that despite the deal's symbolic weight, actually unlocking the funds could hinge on a process in British courts that may take months.
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