EFE. The dialogues between the opposition and the Government of Venezuela began their second phase in Mexico this Friday, where the ruling party arrived with a larger delegation and concrete demands for the end of international sanctions.
After his arrival at the Mexico City airport, the official delegation headed by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, declared that he begins this stage of the negotiations “with deep expectations”, which will take place until Monday.
“We have received the instruction from President Nicolás Maduro that we emphasize in these first hours of the talks on returning the economic guarantees that have been stolen from all the people of Venezuela,” Rodríguez declared to the state channel, Venezolana de Televisión ( VTV).
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This second phase occurs after the first conversations from August 13 to 15 in Mexico, where the delegations of the Government of Maduro and the opposition Plataforma Unitaria de Venezuela signed a memorandum of understanding at the Museum of Anthropology to define a common agenda.
With this process, promoted by Norway and in which Mexico only participates as facilitating headquarters, the opposition demands “free” elections in the regional elections on November 21, while President Maduro wants international sanctions to be lifted.
Outside a hotel on Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s main avenue, a Venezuelan government communication official indicated that both sectors agreed not to speak to the press.
“We hope to reach important agreements for the benefit of the country,” opposition deputy Luis Aquiles Moreno, from the Democratic Action party, limited himself to declaring upon his arrival, without detailing the agenda.
Based on what was signed on August 13, the discussions include “political rights for all”, electoral guarantees and a timetable for observable elections.
They also include the lifting of sanctions, the renunciation of violence, the reparation of victims, protection of the national economy, social protection measures, and guarantees of implementation, monitoring and verification.
Maduro’s delegation arrived with a more numerous entourage than last month and with “a request for the end of the blockade of assets abroad and the lifting of sanctions,” the National Assembly reported in its networks after its arrival in Mexico. .
“All the people of Venezuela, all of us, have been deeply affected by blockade measures, by theft measures, by measures of overcompliance with, in turn, illegal sanctions,” Rodríguez denounced in his statements to VTV.
Last month, the government delegation was led by Rodríguez, while attorney Jorge Blyde led the opposition Plataforma Unitaria de Venezuela.
On behalf of the ruling party, the president’s son, Deputy Nicolás Maduro Guerra, and the governor of the central state of Miranda, Héctor Rodríguez, also repeat their attendance.
But now Vice Ministers William Castillo, of Anti-Blockade Policy, and Vice Minister Rander Peña for Latin America are added to the delegation, according to what was published by the National Assembly.
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Also integrated are the ministers Gabriela Jiménez, of Science and Technology, and Margaud Godoy, of Women and Gender Equality, as well as Larry Devoe, executive secretary of the National Human Rights Council.
Although the opposition has not yet detailed changes in its delegation, in the first phase Blyde, former deputy Stalin González, from the Un Nuevo Tiempo formation, and Tomás Guanipa, close to the opposition leader Juan Guaidó and secretary general of the Primero Justicia party (PJ) participated. ).
Since those dialogues, sectors of the opposition have agreed to participate in the November elections, although other groups have questioned the legitimacy of the talks.
“For we are here a delegation from all the political parties of the opposition,” said Deputy Luis Aquiles Moreno, questioned about the unity of the opposition.
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