United Transitional Cabinet Urges “De Facto Authorities of Belarus” to Engage in National Dialogue Following Maduro’s Arrest

The United Transitional Cabinet has issued an address to the official Minsk authorities in connection with the arrest of Nicolas Maduro. In it, the Cabinet calls on the “de facto authorities of Belarus” to engage in national dialogue. The statement emphasizes that a round table to overcome the political crisis is a means of avoiding the collapse of statehood.

“The arrest of Nicolas Maduro on 3 January 2026 in the new global political environment has become a demonstrative signal for every authoritarian regime: neither years of control over the state apparatus, nor command of the army, nor external support from allies guarantee the preservation of power. Maduro refused dialogue with the opposition, chose repression instead of legitimacy, believed that the security structures were his impregnable shield — and was gravely mistaken. As a result, Venezuela’s fate will now largely depend on external factors,” the statement says.

Against this background, the Cabinet reconfirms its proposal to organize a national dialogue.

“Recognizing our responsibility for preserving the sovereignty of Belarus, the Cabinet reaffirms its initiative to hold a national dialogue, as set out in the Statement of 9 August 2025. We insist that the only means of preventing the collapse of statehood is the organization of a round table to resolve the political crisis in Belarus,” the statement reads.

The Cabinet stresses that internal civil consensus is necessary to ensure stability during the political transformations the country needs, to achieve a civilized resolution of internal problems, lift sanctions, restore investment, and resume constructive international cooperation.

“The lesson of Caracas shows that windows of opportunity close quickly, and therefore ignoring the Round Table initiative may lead to scenarios in which civilized civil dialogue is replaced by other uncontrolled processes that may pose a threat to the independence of the Republic of Belarus.

Belarusians deserve democratic governance, sustainable economic development, and normalization of international relations. Every official must bear responsibility for choosing optimal paths for the successful development of our country,” the statement concludes.