Dinorah Figuera (born 15 April 1961[1]) is a Venezuelan physician and politician. She is a deputy and president of the IV National Assembly of Venezuela in exile in Spain.
Dinorah Figuera | |
---|---|
13th President of the National Assembly of Venezuela | |
Incumbent (contested) | |
Assumed office 5 January 2023 | |
Disputed with | Jorge Rodríguez |
Preceded by | Juan Guaidó |
Deputy of the National Assembly of Venezuela for Caracas | |
In office 5 January 2011 – 5 January 2016 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Dinorah Figuera 15 April 1961 Aragua, Venezuela |
Political party | Justice First |
Education | Central University of Venezuela |
Profession | Physician |
Born in Aragua,[1] Dinorah Figuera was a student leader at the Central University of Venezuela where she graduated as a surgeon in 1991. As a member of Radical Cause party, she was undersecretary of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas between 1993 and 1996, during the administration of Aristóbulo Istúriz.[2] She was a figure during the 2017 protests in Venezuela.[2]
Figuera was elected as a deputy for Caracas in the III National Assembly and for Aragua in the IV National Assembly.[1] Figuera is exiled in Spain after escaping Venezuela through the French embassy in Caracas.
On 5 January 2023, Figuera was elected as president of the IV National Assembly, even though she remains in exile. Figuera was chosen to replace opposition figure Juan Guaidó.[3] After her election, the government of Venezuela issued an arrest warrant against her.[3]
In an interview with Reuters, Figuera said that she was confident that the Biden administration would protect the assets of Citgo Petroleum and the nearly $2 billion in gold that the Venezuelan governments holds in the Bank of England, which has been a dispute between the Maduro government and the opposition.[4]
On 2 April 2023, Figuera released a statement in support of her predecessor, Juan Guaidó, who had earlier denounced that the government planned to arrest him. Figuera condemned the intimidation against Guaidó and solidarized herself with him.[5] In another statement, Figuera deauthorized an opposition deputy who asked for a more softened stance on sanctions from the US, saying that said deputy did not represent the whole opposition National Assembly.[6]