Petro announces international conference to “build a roadmap” for dialogue with Venezuela

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Tuesday that he will convene an international conference in Bogotá with the aim of promoting dialogue between different sectors of Venezuela.

As indicated by the presidency, through a statementthe objective will be to “reopen roads and build a roadmap to stimulate and support dialogue between the Venezuelan opposition, civil society in that country and the Venezuelan government.”

The text also indicates that this conference has been the subject of discussion between the Colombian president and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, in their recent meetings.

The reaction of the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Juan Guaidó, was immediate in this regard, noting that “there is already a process, a negotiation facilitated by the Norwegians, with international support.”

And he stressed that “the roadmap is clear: free elections in 2024.”

Guaidó also emphasized that there is no “political will” on the part of the Venezuelan president “to go beyond rhetoric to concrete measures that allow progress.”

The opposition leader claimed the utility of the closeness of the leaders, noting that this “would be very useful to allow the Primary to be conducted without hindrances and delays this October 22, 2023” and that Petro “would do well to talk” with Dag Nylander, director of the Norwegian Center for Conflict Resolution, to “unlock the negotiations, and back the support” of Mexico, the United States and the European Union.

The Colombian government indicated, in the statement, that countries from Europe and Latin America and the United States will be invited, with which the meeting has already progressed and, although it did not specify the date of the event, it was confirmed that it will be defined later. of Easter.

Behind the restoration of diplomatic relations in August of last year, after Petro took powerthe presidents of Venezuela and Colombia have held four bilateral meetings in less than a year.

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