VENEZUELA-USA/INTERVIEW Prisoner release not on the table in U.S. talks: Venezuela

Record ID: 147077

  • Title: VENEZUELA-USA/INTERVIEW Prisoner release not on the table in U.S. talks: Venezuela
  • Date: 15th July 2015
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MADURO AND BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT EVO MORALES CARRYING BOXES CONTAINING SIGNATURES OF PEOPLE REJECTING THE U.S.'S DECLARATION THAT VENEZUELA IS A SECURITY THREAT AND SANCTIONING SEVEN VENEZUELAN OFFICIALS MADURO SPEAKING (NOT A SOUNDBITE) VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO U.S. EMBASSY IN VENEZUELA SECURITY OFFICIAL OUTSIDE THE U.S. EMBASSY I
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3Y12F85GNSVQ2VBJW3Q7EEWTU
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Talks to improve diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela's socialist government do not include discussions of releasing opposition demonstrators jailed as a result of protests in 2014, Venezuela's foreign minister told Reuters on Tuesday (July 14).
    After more than a decade of acrimonious relations, Caracas and Washington have opened a cautious rapprochement by trying to cooperate in areas of mutual interest such as peace negotiations in Colombia and elections in Haiti.
    But Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said there is no discussion of releasing opposition activists who were arrested for violent and illegal behaviour during the demonstrations, insisting it would set a dangerous precedent of apologizing for "terrorism."
    "No, that's not on the agenda of the talks. I tell you this because there are some citizens who are in jail for committing crimes that are punishable under Venezuelan law, and who also subjected Venezuela's population to terrorism in 2014. I have pointed out in international realms that it is very dangerous to think that there is good and bad terrorism. There can't be good terrorism in order to justify actions against unfriendly governments. The understanding it there is terrorism or there isn't," Rodriguez said in an interview late on Tuesday.
    International human rights groups have criticized Venezuela for arrests linked to the demonstrations, most notably those of protest leader Leopoldo Lopez and former mayor Daniel Ceballos.
    A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Washington has pressed the government of President Nicolas Maduro to release political prisoners, and said that progress on the issue would be crucial to improving ties.
    Venezuelan officials dispute the term "political prisoners," and point out that protesters damaged private property, restricted free transit by barricading thoroughfares, and set booby-traps that killed innocent bystanders.
    The opposition says the street demonstrators were making legitimate use of the right to protest, and accuse the government of arbitrary detentions and abuse by security forces.
    Venezuelan rights group Penal Forum says 3,765 people were arrested during the protests and that 75 remain imprisoned for political reasons.
    Washington is also seeking to ensure a free and fair vote in the December 6 parliament elections, which polls suggest the ruling Socialist Party will lose, the official said.
    Rodriguez said communication improved after a meeting between Maduro and U.S. President Barack Obama at a regional summit in Panama in April.
    "We are in the dialogue process, which is going really well, which I have indicated to President Maduro. This dialogue process was agreed on by President Obama and President Maduro at the Panama summit and we are in the process of seeking the regularization of relations as far as normalization in terms of mutual respect and in terms of a strict adherence to international law," he said.
    Relations between the United States and Venezuela have been rocky since the era of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.
    Venezuela's government says better communication with Washington will lead to less interference in its domestic affairs by the United States, the largest buyer of its oil.
    The U.S. State Department is seeking to reduce friction with Venezuela, which remains the continent's harshest critic of U.S. foreign policy, after agreeing to restore ties with Cuba.
    Neither nation has an ambassador to the other. Venezuelan leaders expect the envoys will be named soon, though U.S. officials are less optimistic.
    As a result of the improved ties, Maduro and top Venezuelan officials including Rodriguez have met with U.S. diplomats such as Tom Shannon, the State Department's legal counsel and an expert on Latin America, to discuss areas of cooperation.
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