Negotiations between Maduro and the pro-American Opposition

31.10.2016
Venezuela

Negotiations are ongoing between the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and the opposition members who support his impeachment.

The talks

Besides the president, the government side is represented by three other ministers: Vice-President Jorge Rodríguez, Foreign Minister Kelsey Rodriguez and Elias Jaua Milano, the former vice-president of the government of Hugo Chavez. The opposition is represented by the general secretary of the "Democratic Unity Roundtable" liberal bloc, Jesus Torrealba, and representatives of several pro-US parties. It has been emphasized that the negotiations are being sabotaged by a delegate from the People's Will party, whose supporters were detained earlier while trying to organize terrorist attacks.

Mediation

Mediation in the negotiations is being provided by the Organization of South American Nations UNASUR and the Pope. We know that Nicolas Maduro, returning from a tour of oil-producing countries, made an unscheduled visit to the Vatican.

The Catholic factor

Nicolas Maduro started his speech with words of love: "I believe deeply in love as the most powerful weapon for the peace process.” In addition, he talked about his desire for dialogue and advancement in all matters by peaceful means. In general, Maduro, judging by his style, was aiming for Catholics rather than the Socialists, who already are his supporters.

Against this background, the most ardent pro-Western opposition, the People's Will party that forms the core of pro-American activism, looks aggressive for the world and the Venezuelan community. Attempts at terrorist attacks, its leaders’ involvement in dubious programs in the US, and its sharp rhetoric full of calls for violence, are all noticeable. If earlier the party could attract the most radical part of Venezuelan youth, then now, with the participation of the Pope in negotiations, the supporters of impeachment are rapidly losing support.

Sabotage

According to the president, weight is added by the fact that the government has already demonstrated its desire to dialogue by agreeing to the opposition’s demand to move negotiations from the island of Margarita, where the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was recently held, to Caracas.

But such demands by the liberals which are not directly related to the negotiating issues, point to the fact that the initiators of impeachment are set to earn a salary of Washington, for which even the most minor reasons will be used.

Therefore, many liberals have shown simply no interest in negotiations. Despite the fact that some of them are still involved in talks, shortly before their start, a resolution was adopted endorsing the beginning of unconstitutional actions. At the same time, one of the resolution’s points disqualified President Maduro by the fact of his birth, allegedly in Argentina. Meanwhile, it is known that the head of Venezuela was born in Caracas.

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