US and EU reaffirm their support for dialogues between Chavismo and Venezuelan opposition in Mexico

US Senator Bob menendez, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee of that country, signed a joint statement with their counterparts from the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Parliament, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark in relationship with the negotiations between the regime of Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan opposition in Mexico.

“We, chairmen of the external relations committees of our respective parliaments, We welcome the start of negotiations to restore constitutional order, democratic institutions and political rights in Venezuela. We believe that a negotiated pact to resolve these issues can deliver results for the Venezuelan people and alleviate the great suffering they are currently facing in the heartbreaking humanitarian crisis that their country is going through, ”the letter began.

Then they expressed the “Full support” for the Platform of National Unity of Venezuela, “Because it represents the will of the Venezuelan people to stop the country’s slide towards autocracy, poverty and chaos. We have full confidence in the capacity and the will of the Platform for National Unity to base its dialogue with the Maduro regime on the interests of the Venezuelan people ”.

In the text published on Wednesday, they urged the Maduro regime to undertake this process of “sincerity” for “be able to restore democratic governance, restore the rule of law and restore fundamental freedoms and human dignity to the Venezuelan people”.

“An agreement which specifies the conditions and modalities of the new elections – in particular legislative and presidential – is the key to this effort. Thereby, we are ready to support agreements that uphold these fundamental principles. Any recalibration of the sanctions imposed by the international community must be directly linked to the will of the regime to adopt concrete measures. following negotiations with the Platform for National Unity, ”they said.

They also spoke about the arrest of Freddy guevara before the start of the dialogues and their subsequent broadcast. “We condemn the arbitrary detention of Freddy Guevara by the Maduro regime and the intimidation of Interim President Guaidó before the resumption of negotiations in Mexico.. And although we celebrate Mr. Guevara’s release, these actions are deeply disturbing and leave doubts about the sincerity of the regime’s intentions. So, We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners in Venezuela and the cessation of serious human rights violations and other practices amounting to crimes against humanity, ”they noted.

“We will not tolerate any effort to delay, hinder or distract from the central issues of the main agenda.. This moment requires a serious effort to really face the horrific political, humanitarian, economic and security crises in Venezuela. The Venezuelan people can no longer afford to waste their time», They indicated.

Finally, they stressed: “The policies of the Maduro regime have turned Venezuela into a failed state, pushing the Venezuelan people into poverty and exile, wreaking havoc throughout the Western Hemisphere. We support efforts to stabilize the complex crisis in Venezuela and we work closely with the democratic actors of the Platform of National Unity to help Venezuela take a better path, one that prioritizes well-being, security and fundamental human and democratic rights. of the Venezuelan people ”.

The dialogue between Chavismo and the opposition generated this Monday its first concrete results in Mexico, where delegations announced the first two partial chords after the second phase of negotiations since Friday.

The first agreement is the unified struggle for “the ratification and defense of the sovereignty of Venezuela over the Guayana EsequibaAn area of ​​159,500 square kilometers, rich in resources between Venezuela and Guyana, which has been at the center of a struggle between the two countries for nearly two centuries.

The second, more important, is the “partial agreement for the social protection of the Venezuelan people“, With which the Maduro regime intends to recover the assets frozen abroad, he declared. Jorge rodriguez, President of the National Assembly and representative of the ruling party.

Parts negotiations will resume in a third stage from September 24 to 27 in Mexico, where they have been negotiating since a first visit from August 13 to 15, when they signed a memorandum of understanding to agree on a common agenda.

With this process, promoted by Norway and in which Mexico participates as a facilitator seat, the opposition calls for free elections in the regional elections of November 21, while Maduro wants international sanctions lifted.

“The parties have agreed that the first point of discussion for the next round will be ‘Respect for the rule of constitutional law‘. In particular, the judicial system and respect for institutions will be discussed, ”the Norwegian Embassy in Mexico announced in a statement.

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