Venezuela, opposition to hold dialogue as protests brew

Record ID: 84020

  • Title: Venezuela, opposition to hold dialogue as protests brew
  • Date: 24th October 2016
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATORS PROTESTING
  • Embargoed: 8th November 2016 23:05
  • Keywords: Nicolas Maduro opposition talks political crisis Pope Francis
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND VATICAN
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND VATICAN
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00355DCDHJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    Venezuela's socialist government and opposition held talks in Caracas on Monday (October 24) amid a worsening political stand-off and protests since the suspension of a referendum drive to remove unpopular President Nicolas Maduro.
    According to officials, the talks in the capital are a prelude to a meeting on Margarita island.
    Former presidents from Latin America and Spain as well as Vatican officials are taking place in the talks to strike some common agenda for the Margarita meeting.
    "Today begins a national dialogue between representations from the government and the opposition with the objective of establishing the conditions for a plenary meeting on Margarita island on October 30, 2016," said Buenos Aires Monsignor, Paul Tscherri.
    Past conversations between the bitterly polarized sides have led to little progress.
    The opposition says Maduro is inept and must leave office before the crisis worsens while he vows not to be pushed out by a power-hungry elite seeking a coup.
    "It is necessary for Venezuelans to re-familiarise themselves to the word dialogue. Dialogue is very important, it can't continue to be a strategy for the government to win time. Dialogue can't mean for Venezuelans a luck of the game for the opposition to get close to the government," said opposition spokesperson, Jesus Torrealba.
    Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, made an unannounced trip to the Vatican on Monday (October 24) to meet Pope Francis, who urged him to alleviate people's suffering to solve the crisis.
    The Vatican agreed in September to accompany a dialogue between Maduro and his foes, although formal rapprochement had yet to happen.
    At the meeting in Caracas, Jorge Rodriguez from Venezuela's government told media Maduro has long supported dialogue.
    "Today dialogue between different political parties in Venezuela begins. This has been an initiative from President Nicolas Maduro since 2014," he said.
    Many of Venezuela's 30 million people fear a stand-off between the government and opposition will create more unrest in a nation already exhausted by political confrontation, a plunging economy and rampant crime.
    Maduro said the working commission for dialogue aims to avert violence in the divided OPEC nation.
    "They have come to work with all groups and leaders of the opposition. Fortunately there has been dialogue and hopefully consolidation. The working commission will establish a truth commission, compensation for victims and that there be no repeat of violence taking place."
    Despite the talks, the opposition is calling for nationwide protests on Wednesday (October 26) as Venezuela's third year of recession has many skipping meals due to widespread food shortages and spiralling prices.
    Ramping up the crisis, the opposition-led National Assembly this weekend began proceedings to put Maduro on trial for violating democracy. Still, the trial is unlikely to get traction, given the government and Supreme Court say congress has legitimatised itself.
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