On Friday, September 18, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced that the second day of talks with representatives of the defunct 2015 National Assembly had concluded with an agreement to establish a Technical Committee on Freedom of Expression, Pluralism, and the Right to Information.“During this second round of talks, the committee will begin a process of consultation, guarantees, and verification of progress in this area, involving the relevant stakeholders and the wider public,” according to a joint communiqué signed by both delegations.Both sides also welcomed Venezuela’s decision to lift restrictions on access to online news outlets, describing the measure as a step toward strengthening access to information.The announcement followed CONATEL’s instructions to internet providers to restore access to several domestic and international news websites. As Orinoco Tribune reported, accessible outlets included Efecto Cocuyo, El Pitazo, Runrunes, Monitoreamos, and AlbertoNews, as well as Spain’s EFE and Colombia’s Semana.The measure followed a recommendation by the Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence after consultations with media representatives and digital content creators. CONATEL’s announcement did not name the affected websites or specify how many.The restoration of access also prompted debate within Chavismo about the effectiveness of the previous restrictions on far-right media. Communicator Luigino Bracci argued that opposition messaging had continued to circulate widely through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X, regardless of website blocks. His assessment highlighted a contradiction: the restrictions gave opposition outlets grounds to allege censorship while doing little to limit their reach, even as Venezuelan institutions struggled to communicate their own policies and achievements.Both delegations also agreed to establish a Joint Monitoring Commission to oversee implementation of the agreements and commitments reached during the talks. The second round will remain in permanent session until Wednesday, September 23.The new round of talks began on Thursday, September 17, with Rodríguez leading the National Assembly delegation and former deputy Dinorah Figuera heading the delegation representing the defunct 2015 parliament.The first round concluded on August 12 with agreements to strengthen assistance for victims of the June 24 earthquakes and pursue the recovery of Venezuela’s gold held by the Bank of England to support reconstruction. The delegations also agreed to pursue judicial reforms, including changes to the law governing the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, an expanded judicial nominations committee, and a new process for selecting the tribunal’s magistrates.Venezuela Government and 2015 National Assembly Delegation Conclude First Round of DialogueThe far-right delegation’s dependence on Washington has remained a central point of criticism. In its coverage of the opening talks, Orinoco Tribune documented Figuera’s public gratitude for US involvement and reported that the former legislators’ access to seized Venezuelan state funds depended on Washington’s authorization. That financial dependence, along with US political backing, underpins critics’ characterization of the delegation as operating under Washington’s tutelage. (DiarioVea) with Orinoco Tribune contentTranslation: Orinoco TribuneOT/JRE/SF