Venezuela: What is known about the resumption of the dialogue between the Government and the opposition

Representatives of the delegations of the Government and the so-called Unitary Platform (opposition) in Venezuela have reported that they have sat down to talk so as to, once again, open a chapter in the complicated negotiations.

In the last known meeting, the president of the National Assembly (AN) of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, represented the Government, and the opposition leader Gerardo Blyde, represented the Unitarian Platform. Both posted the same message on their Twitter accounts after the meeting: «In a work meeting for future plans. In the rescue of the spirit of Mexico».

The Unitary Platform added, in a statement, that the start of these talks will include meetings and discussions to agree on «necessary elements» for the prompt restart of the negotiation process; while Rodríguez commented that the Government has insisted on «the crucial importance of the development of social issues», reports RT.

“Very positive” for Venezuela

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, described the restart of the talks as «very positive» and reiterated his country’s willingness to continue hosting the negotiations, suspended in October last year.

“The announcement of the resumption of dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela is very positive. Mexico is willing and ready to welcome you and help make it a success. Congratulations», the Mexican official wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday morning.

Mexico was the country that hosted the negotiations between the Government and the Venezuelan opposition in August 2021, with the mediation of Norway. In the first round, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding to reaffirm their willingness to dialogue.

Saab in the negotiations

Rodríguez commented that the Government of Venezuela will insist on its demand for the participation of the Venezuelan diplomat Álex Saab at the negotiating table.

“Our brother Álex Saab, kidnapped for 704 days, is a full member of the Venezuelan delegation and is our delegate to the social theme table that we are discussing. In this sense, Venezuela has demanded and will demand the participation of Álex Saab in any of the work initiatives that are eventually agreed upon”, said the head of the AN.

This is a condition that Venezuela has maintained for the resumption of negotiations, since they were suspended seven months ago. In fact, the interruption of the talks occurred after the extradition of the Venezuelan businessman and diplomat to the United States.

Easing sanctions against Venezuela

While this meeting between Rodríguez and Blyde was known on Tuesday, information was also circulating in various media outlets that the US would ease economic sanctions on Venezuela.

A US official told Reuters that Washington planned to ease coercive measures to help pave the way for negotiations.

However, during the Seventh Annual Hemispheric Security Conference organized by Florida International University (FIU), Juan González, adviser to President Joe Biden for Western Hemisphere Affairs, commented that the steps the White House would take would be in response to what the Government and the opposition in Venezuela announce.

“We will come out with a statement in response to what the two sides say”, he mentioned, after stressing that the relief of sanctions depends on concrete progress in the negotiations.

“We are going to alleviate the pressure based on actions, ambitious and concrete results, that lead Venezuela to free and democratic elections, and we will only do it that way. If there is any kind of backlog, backtracking, then we will reapply the sanctions», he said.

The Venezuelan Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, informed that the Government had verified and confirmed the relief of the sanctions. Specifically, she pointed out that the US had «authorized US and European oil companies to negotiate and restart operations» in the South American country.

It was learned that the changes that Washington would apply with respect to the sanctions would be to allow Chevron Corp. to negotiate its license with the State-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), but not to drill or export oil of Venezuelan origin.

“Venezuela aspires that these decisions of the United States of America pave the way for the absolute lifting of the illegal sanctions that affect all of our people”, Rodríguez added.

She also said that Caracas «will continue to tirelessly promote fruitful dialogue in a national and international format».

«An agreement is urgent»

Ex-deputy Juan Guaidó also spoke about the meeting between Rodríguez and Blyde (Even though the US has downplayed his role, it continues to recognize Guaidó as a representative of the «interim government» in Venezuela).

«We insist on the urgency of immediately restarting Mexico’s mechanism in favor of Venezuelans, aware of how they have been used before by the dictatorship, which is why international accompaniment and strengthening unity are also key to achieving real solutions», commented Guaidó in his Twitter account.

In the same way, he considered that «an agreement is urgently needed to deal with the emergency, do justice, re-institutionalize the country and have conditions for free and fair elections, with guarantees for all sectors».

So far, neither the Venezuelan parties nor the Mexican government have reported a specific date for the resumption of negotiations.

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