The Venezuelan government and the Unitary Platform opposition have agreed to revive long-dormant negotiations aimed at ending Venezuela’s prolonged political and economic turmoil. These talks, mediated by Norway, are scheduled to recommence in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Tuesday, marking a significant development after they were put on hold in November 2022.
In a statement issued recently, the embassy of Norway in Mexico revealed that “the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela have decided to resume the process of dialogue and negotiation… with the aim of reaching a political agreement.”
Venezuela has been grappling with a political crisis since the highly disputed 2018 re-election of President Nicolas Maduro, which was widely criticized. Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had the support of the United States and numerous other nations, challenged Maduro’s rule. Subsequently, the U.S. imposed significant sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to remove its authoritarian president. However, as this effort faltered, international backing for Guaido’s government dwindled.
In response, opposition political parties and civil society formed the Unitary Platform in April 2021, and Norway-mediated negotiations, which had been stalled since October 2021, resumed in November 2022, as reported by the U.S. Congressional Research Service in September. Nevertheless, Maduro had been unwilling to return to the negotiation table since then.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed his congratulations for the resumption of dialogue on social media, commending the Venezuelan opposition, the government of Venezuela, the Kingdom of Norway, and the U.S. for facilitating this channel of dialogue to address the political conflicts in Venezuela.
The United States issued a statement welcoming the announcement of the talks’ resumption, emphasizing its commitment to uniting the international community in support of the Venezuelan-led negotiation process.
The reopening of dialogue between the Venezuelan government and the opposition may pave the way for the United States to consider lifting some of the sanctions it has imposed on the Maduro regime over the years. The United States has repeatedly stated its willingness to reevaluate its punitive measures against Venezuela “if the regime makes meaningful progress” toward restoring democracy.
This development occurs just days before Venezuela is scheduled to hold a primary election, where more than a dozen opposition politicians will compete to determine who will challenge Maduro in the next year’s election.
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