The exploratory Venezuelan crisis talks that began last week in Santo Domingo are scheduled to continue in Santo Domingo on 27 September 2017, announced President Danilo Medina. President Medina and former President of Spain Jose Luis Zapatero served as brokers for the opposing parts in Venezuela to open talks. The talks will continue after President Medina returns from his participation in the UN General Assembly in New York City.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had appointed Jorge Rodriguez, mayor of Caracas’ Libertador municipality, to represent him along with his Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez and Venezuelan OAS ambassador Roy Chaderton Matos to participate in the exploratory talks that took place in Santo Domingo on Wednesday, 13 September 2017.
So far, the opposition MUD coalition has said that for the talks to move beyond the exploratory phase, pre-conditions need to be met. Attending the Santo Domingo event was deputy for the National Assembly (AN) Luis Florido, who said that if the formal talks were to happen, the opposition would reach out to Mexico and Chile as guarantee countries to help rebuild democratic coexistence. Others countries that would serve as guarantors would be Nicaragua and Bolivia, as well as the Dominican Republic. The UN is also designated as a possible guarantor by the parts.
Among the preconditions set by the MUD coalition for the opening of the talks are: local, regional and presidential elections with international observers be scheduled; the release of all political prisoners and the lifting of bans imposed on opposition leaders as well as an end to political persecution’ respect for the independence of the branches of state and the recognition of the opposition controlled National Assembly; immediate attention to the economic and social crisis.
18 September 2017
