Chavismo and the opposition start dialogue in Mexico to seek “a peaceful solution to the crisis in Venezuela”

The government and the opposition of Venezuela began this Friday in Mexico a new negotiation process to end the acute political and economic crisis in the country, with a view to the lifting of sanctions and the presidential elections.

Government and opposition delegates signed an agreement that formalizes the start of a dialogue to resolve the country’s political and economic crisis. The “memorandum of understanding” was signed by Jorge Rodríguez, on behalf of the government of President Nicolás Maduro, and Gerardo Blayde, by the so-called “unitary platform”.

After the failures of the dialogues in Barbados, in 2019, and in the Dominican Republic, in 2018, The painting was installed at the National Museum of Anthropology, in Mexico City, with the mediation of Norway and the auspices of the Mexican government.

“Mexico has always been a country with a tradition of peaceful conflict resolution”, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said at the press conference where the dialogue began.

In addition to Ebrard, at the National Museum of Anthropology, in the presidium for the process of negotiation and dialogue, and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding of Venezuela were presented Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, representative of Norway, Dağ Nylander, Yes Gerardo Blyde Pérez, head of the Venezuelan opposition delegation.

“On behalf of CELAC, we wish them the best”Ebrard said as he opened the conference.

“We will do our utmost toMay these negotiations succeed. However, we know that only Venezuelans can solve it “Nylander continued.

“The government and the unified platform have taken the bold decision to initiate negotiations in search of a peaceful and political solution to the crisis in Venezuela. This deserves the support of the international community ”, added the Norwegian.

Delegations will meet again on August 30 to discuss a seven-point program that does not foresee the departure of Socialist President Nicolás Maduro, whom the opposition accuses of having fraudulently re-elected in 2018 for a period of six years.

On Thursday, the president warned that will not give in to “blackmail or threats” from the United States, which required “sincere discussions” to solve the problems of the old oil power.

Washington recognizes as incumbent president Juan Guaidó, who proclaimed himself as such in 2019 when he led Parliament, now in the hands of Chavismo. “Venezuela needs a solution,” Guaidó wrote on Twitter on Friday.

In his attempt to suffocate Maduro, the former Republican president Donald Trump has imposed a series of sanctions on the country – including an oil embargo -, that the government of Democrat Joe Biden proposes to relax if the negotiations advance towards a new election.

“Maduro’s regime can create a path for relax sanctions by allowing Venezuelans to participate in free electionsA State Department spokesperson said ahead of the dialogue.

Canada and the European Union are also ready to review their punitive measures. But Maduro, a 58-year-old former bus driver, insists that “Venezuela engages in dialogue with Mexico autonomously and independently and does not submit to blackmail or threats from the United States government.”

Presidential elections

The sovereign, elected in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez, he clings to power with the support of the military, Cuba, China and Russia, despite the economic collapse. The OPEC partner’s GDP has fallen by 80% since 2014 and the country is de facto dollarized due to the destruction of the local currency.

Maduro attributes debacle to “criminal sanctions” he claims to prevent, among other things, purchasing enough COVID-19 vaccines. As a result of the crisis, five million Venezuelans have been forced to migrate.

For its part, opposition calls for a timetable leading to presidential elections with guarantees, in addition to the release of politicians prisoners such as former MP Freddy Guevara, arrested shortly before the talks.

Maduro’s opponents participate as a “unitary platform”, trying to overcome his historical divisions to face the Chavismo. In fact, the bloc is differing on the possibility of participating in the regional elections on November 21.

Lack of guarantees, in 2018 and 2020 the opposition boycotted presidential and parliamentary votes, leaving the field open to the party in power which controls all the powers of the state.

“There may be a relaxation of some sanctions related to humanitarian issues “and” to give in on issues such as political prisoners or institutional recognition of the opposition “, but Maduro “is not about to leave power,” said Luis Vicente León, director of the Venezuelan Datanálisis poll.

For Pedro Benítez, Venezuelan political scientist and university professor, the parties could come to an agreement if they admitted that “neither of them can crush the other”.

Maduro will be represented by a escort led by Jorge Rodríguez, President of Parliament and his son and Deputy Nicolás Maduro Guerra.

Meanwhile, the opposition will have a delegation led by the politician and lawyer Gerardo Blyde and leaders such as former MPs Julio Borges – representative of Guaidó’s foreign relations – Tomás Guanipa and Stalin González.

(With information from AFP)

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