Mexico To Host Dialogue Between Venezuelan Govt and Opposition

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed Thursday that his country would sponsor the dialogue between the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition, a meeting that could be held in Mexico City, the capital of the country.

During his usual meeting with the media, the president stated: "I have just been informed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Marcelo Ebrard) that, at Norway's proposal, it is proposed that Mexico be the venue to carry out these negotiations and we accept."

RELATED:

Venezuelan Government and Opponents To Hold Dialogue in Mexico

He added that "these are talks between the Venezuelan Government and the opposition. Hopefully an agreement will be reached," while emphasizing that his country supports "dialogue and agreements" between the parties in Venezuela.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry revealed last June that it was promoting together with Norway the political dialogue in the Caribbean nation but had not defined where the meeting would be held.

Last July 24, the Venezuelan president said that he hoped that the table would be set up in Mexico in August and mentioned that the United States (U.S.) government would participate.

"He does not say when, but there will be dialogue in Mexico between the government of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and the opposition."

Although the conformation of the delegations that will attend the meeting is still being studied, President Nicolás Maduro has reiterated that he is willing to negotiate with the opposition.

The Bolivarian leader has stressed that the agenda of the meeting must include the lifting of the unilateral restrictive measures imposed by the U.S., which have caused a substantial loss of income to the country and have plunged it into a severe economic crisis.

Likewise, the Venezuelan head of state acknowledges that it will be a "complex and difficult agenda" but that the groundwork has already been laid for the start of the talks.

For its part, the opposition has said that it is ready to sit down with the Government. In 2019, the Venezuelan Executive and the opposition also met at a negotiating table in Barbados and under the auspices of Norway. The meeting ended without agreement.