U.S. Backs Venezuela Talks and Urges Release of Remaining Political Prisoners

The United States on October 22 welcomed the third round of talks between Venezuela's 2015 National Assembly, led by Dinorah Figuera, and the interim government, and called for all remaining political prisoners' release. Washington said the parties agreed to work toward revising laws to expand political freedoms and participation. The State Department reported progress toward selecting 32 Supreme Court judges and said access to more than 70 blocked websites had been restored. It said more than 1,000 political prisoners had been released since Operation Absolute Resolve, while urging continued electoral reform.