the pitfalls and bridges on the path of dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition

First modification: 12/11/2022 – 03:50

The Venezuelan opposition and the government of Nicolás Maduro sat down again to talk at the table. It happened within the framework of the Paris Forum for Peace, where France hosted the meeting between the ruling party and the opposition to bring positions closer in the peace talks, which so far have accumulated more frustrations than progress.

Accompanying Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan Parliament, and Gerardo Blyde, Guaidó’s negotiator, were Gustavo Petro and Alberto Fernández, presidents of Colombia and Argentina respectively.

Despite the fact that neither the Maduro nor the Guaidó side have made statements or detailed the issues, the international representatives headed by Emmanuel Macron reported that the meetings on Friday were “a closer rapprochement” between the parties and that it should allow the resumption of the colloquiums in Mexico.

However, they clarified that the dates to return to the tables in Mexico City are an exclusive matter of the Venezuelan actors.

Through a statement they also stressed that the meeting revolved around the holding of elections in 2024, the release of prisoners for political reasons and the reinstatement of democracy.

The process will continue with the support of the foreign ministers of France, Colombia, Argentina and Norway, present at the Forum with the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Anniken Huitfeldt, sources from the Argentine delegation assured.

The influence of Petro and Fernández, whom Macron has singled out for their efforts at reconciliation with Venezuela, is in tune with Latin America’s shift to the left. Recently, Bogotá has restored communication channels with Caracas, reopening its borders and reactivating direct flights between nations.

For its part, Buenos Aires has been, with the exception of the mandate of Mauricio Macri, a solid ally of Venezuela in this century. Under the leadership of Peronism (2003 – 2015 and 2019 to the present), the country has held a position relatively close to Hugo Chávez at the time and supported the legitimacy of Maduro in power.

The energy crisis spurs dialogue

According to some experts, the energy crisis that is hitting the world as a result of the war in Ukraine has caused the global North to look at the pro-government Venezuelan government with different eyes. Despite the fact that most of the countries of the European Union recognized Juan Guaidó as president of the country at the time and do so to this day, positions towards Maduro have softened in recent months.

As a result of the lack of Russian gas for European countries, Venezuela is emerging as a potential energy ally with which it is difficult to do business because of the sanctions imposed by the United States. However, the possibility of an agreement between the opposition and the government could pave the way.

Recently, United States media such as the Wall Street Journal warned that President Joe Biden will ease the sanctions against Caracas to allow the outflow of oil, under pressure from the European Union.

The mined path of the peace talks

Attempts to start talks between the government and the opposition have a long history of failure.

The first episode dates from September 2016, at a time when requests for removal and political tension arose. A meeting was held in Caracas, which was attended by the Vatican, Spain, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Despite the fact that Jorge Rodríguez gave an optimistic message where he assured that the ruling party was “committed” to the talks having “accurate and fast results”, the early attempt was quickly frustrated.

In 2017 a new round took place, but in the Dominican Republic. Along with the Venezuelan parties were the Dominican President Danilo Medina and the former head of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

Delcy Rodríguez, then president of the Constituent Assembly, had stressed that the “only way” for stability in Venezuela was dialogue, but that they could not let “imperial orders” impose the country’s agenda. The chapter ended without setting a date for presidential elections and establishing an “indefinite recess.”

In 2019, the location was Barbados and the mediation came through Norway, but the result was again inconclusive after Maduro left the table due to the opposition’s support for the sanctions constituted by the United States.

In Mexico City, some time later, optimism grew after concrete progress and a series of agreements between the ruling party and the opposition. However, they returned to a deadlock after the government requested that Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab, a man wanted in Washington on accusations of money laundering, join the table.

With EFE and Reuters