Venezuela: President Maduro Meets Former Candidate Bertucci

Venezuela's recently re-elected President Nicolas Maduro received former opposition candidate Javier Bertucci in Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Wednesday to discuss several proposals.

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Bertucci said after the meeting that he had brought forward three proposals: the liberation of all political prisoners, the opening of a "humanitarian channel," and responses to opposition claims that the May 20 elections were fraudulent.

"For my country I will meet, I will dialogue and I will do whatever is necessary for an answer," Bertucci said.

"We cannot continue putting personal, egoist and ideological interests before the country... I went independently and accepted the chance to sit, converse, look for solutions for my people, for my country."

The meeting is a symbolic beginning to the national dialogue called for by the president after his electoral victory.

After coming third in last week's vote, Bertucci – of the Hope for Change party – recognized the results on Tuesday, and gave his support to a dialogue with the government.

Second place opposition candidate Henri Falcon rejected the results of the election.