Venezuela to resume talks with US: Maduro

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen English
2 Jul 2024 13:04
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that he will be resuming talks with the United States to "comply with the agreements signed in Qatar."

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a signing of an agreement to respect the results of the upcoming presidential elections, at the National Electoral Council headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Monday that he has agreed to resume direct negotiations with the United States.

Maduro announced this in a televised broadcast where he explained, "After thinking about it, I have accepted and next Wednesday the talks will restart with the United States government to comply with the agreements signed in Qatar and to reestablish the terms of the dialogue with respect."

Talks similar to those that Maduro announced are set to be renewed also took place in late 2023. At the time, after months of negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Washington and Caracas reached a prisoner exchange agreement that included the liberation of Alex Saab.

Moreover, Maduro announced that Jorge Rodriguez, the official negotiator and president of the National Assembly, will travel for the talks, but did not specify the agenda.

The negotiations, which began about two years ago, faced a setback when Maduro's government accused the United States of breaching the Qatar agreement following the reimposition of US oil sanctions last April.

No sanctions will be able to defeat Venezuela: Maduro

Earlier, in April, Maduro rejected what was then the newly imposed US sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry.

US officials announced at the time that the Biden administration will reimpose sanctions on Venezuela, claiming that the Maduro government did not uphold "an inclusive and competitive election."

"We do not need a license to grow, to work, we are not slaves, at what point did we become a gringo colony, Venezuela produces with its own hands," Maduro stressed on the occasion of the inauguration of the I ExpoVenezuela Produce 2024 Meeting.

He stressed that "there is no sanction, there is no threat that today will harm the effort to build a productive economic model, we only depend on our work and the union we have."

The Venezuelan leader denounced the opposition's calls for the US government to impose sanctions on the Bolivarian nation.

Maduro affirmed that, despite facing conspiracies and threats, the Venezuelan government remains committed to working toward a hopeful future for the country, emphasizing the resilience of the Venezuelan people in overcoming challenges.