Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Friday that while he rejects the final declaration of the EU-backed International Contact Group, he would be open to a delegation sent by the group in order to promote peace talks between the government and the right-wing opposition.
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Maduro, delivering a press conference Friday, hailed the efforts by the Montevideo Mechanism initiative which is supported by Bolivia, Mexico and Caricom, who also declined to sign the EU-sponsored resolution which set preconditions that infringe on Venezuela's self-determination.
"We think it is very important that from Latin America, peace initiatives should emerge respecting Venezuelan sovereignty," Maduro told a crowd of international journalists gathered at the presidential palace.
“The governments of Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Caricom signed a document called the Montevideo mechanism, which respectfully gives way to a dialogue between Venezuelans … We are in the immediate disposition to accompany any action that goes in the way of diplomacy, dialogue and meeting among Venezuelans."
The United States and its right-wing allies in Latin America have come out in support of a right-wing coup attempt against the Venezuelan government of socialist President Maduro after they supported a decision by opposition lawmaker, named Juan Guaido, to declare himself an “interim president” of Venezuela on Jan. 23 in violation of the country’s constitution.
In return, Maduro has repeatedly called for the restoration of talks between his government and the opposition in order to maintain peace and avoid a U.S.-backed coup, or even military intervention by the United States in favor of removing him and placing an unelected right-wing government.
Answering questions about the “humanitarian aid” that the United States has sent to Venezuela on the request of Guaido, President Maduro said that such an action is an attempt to violate the national sovereignty “with a show called humanitarian operation by the government of Donald Trump, who has ratified his threat of military invasion against Venezuela."
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