Talks scenario for Venezuelan gov't and opposition

(13 Aug 2021) The Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition led by former National Assembly President Juan Guaidó will meet this Friday in Mexico, and are expected to define a schedule to start negotiations in September.

The talks will be guided by the Norwegian government.

Maduro last weekend said he will ask for the "lifting of all sanctions," which have exacerbated the country's punishing economic crisis, the "recognition of legitimate and constitutional authorities," and that the opposition "renounce the violence."

Meanwhile, the opposition's demands include an electoral schedule, a massive plan to import COVID-19 vaccines and the guarantee of transparent elections.

The United States will not participate in the negotiations, but has the power to veto whatever the parties agree.

The opposition will be led by Guaidó, while Maduro named National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez as his representative.

The Vatican, Norway and several Latin American nations have sponsored previous attempts at dialogue, all of which ended up strengthening Maduro and leading to a crackdown on his opponents.

More than 96% of Venezuela's population lives in poverty amid low wages and high food prices resulting from the world's worst inflation rate and irregular dollarization of the economy.

The country's political, social and economic crises, attributed to plummeting oil prices and two decades of government mismanagement, have continued to deepen with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Venezuela political crisis was aggravated when Nicolás Maduro, President Hugo Chavez's handpicked successor, was elected in 2013 amid cries of fraud and the decision by the opposition to boycott subsequent elections.  

Maduro has successfully maintained power, opposed by a fractured opposition. Maduro won a second term in May 2019 elections that opponents and many in the international community reject as a sham.

Unlike past talks, domestic and international support for Guaidó has faded, weakening his ability to demand Maduro's removal. Less than 10 of the more than 60 nations that once recognized Guaidó's self-proclaimed government still maintain that recognition, according to a report this month by the Wilson Center.

Maduro's critics blame economic collapse on years of corruption, bumbling and wrong-headed policies. His allies blame U.S. economic sanctions, sabotage by his foes and the global collapse of oil prices.

Meanwhile, the people of Venezuela suffer from the lack of basic goods, medical supplies, and even gasoline.



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