Venezuelan Government, Opposition Sign ‘Partial Agreements’
The Venezuelan government has demanded the lifting of international sanctions, while the opposition has agreed to participate in the upcoming elections.
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Venezuelan government initiates talks with opposition
Saturday, the Venezuelan government signed “partial agreements” with the opposition in Mexico City on the second day of the ongoing talks aimed mainly at ensuring the participation of opponents of President Nicolas Maduro in the upcoming regional elections in November.
"We have been working mainly on partial agreements, especially those related to serving the people of Venezuela," Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodriguez, who led the government delegation, said on Saturday.
Demands of each side
The government is "very attentive" to all the economic guarantees that have been "wrested, blocked, stolen, withdrawn from the people of Venezuela", added Rodriguez. In the meantime, Maduro seeks a partial if not total lifting of sanctions in exchange for concessions to the opposition.
The opposition delegation had said, earlier, that it expected "quick agreements" with government representatives.
Speaking before the start of the negotiations, the head of the opposition delegation Gerardo Blyde expressed hope that the talks "will seek to alleviate the crisis, but the crisis comes from very serious basic problems, from a model which failed in Venezuela and which does not recognize the democratic order and the constitutional order."
He added that it's "a process which is beginning, which is hard, complex."
Guaido to participate in elections
On his part, opposition leader Juan Guaido said in a video posted on Twitter, "We are in Mexico looking for a national salvation agreement to respond to the emergency, obtain the conditions for free and fair elections, and the rescue of our democracy.”
Hoy inicia la primera ronda de negociación en México.
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) September 3, 2021
¡Estamos #UnidosParaLuchar!
Por un acuerdo de Salvación Nacional
¡Estamos #UnidosParaLuchar!
Por elecciones libres y justas
¡Estamos unidos por la salvación de Venezuela!
Aquí nuestro mensaje al país👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/oachXZON8l
The main opposition alliance headed by Juan Guaido reversed course this week when it announced that it would end a three-year election boycott and take part in mayoral and gubernatorial polls in November.
A seven-point agenda
The talks, mediated by Norway and hosted by Mexico, were launched on Friday with the aim of resolving the crisis that has marked Maduro's eight-year rule.
The negotiations have a seven-point agenda including easing sanctions, political rights, and electoral guarantees, but not the departure of Maduro.
