MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez confirmed negotiations with the opposition to address the unrest caused by an economic downturn in the country.
"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela informs that it has conducted first meetings for a dialogue between the government and opposition," Rodriguez tweeted Saturday.
Rodriguez said the Venezuelan government was represented by herself, Mayor of Caracas Jorge Rodriguez and lawmaker Elias Jaua.
Four opposition party members took part in talks that were attended by Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) officials, ex-president of Spain Jose Luis Zapatero, ex-president of Panama Martin Torrijos and ex-president of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernandez, she added.
Torrealba said the opposition outlined the starting points of national dialogue, including a referendum on President Nicolas Maduro’s recall and the release of all political prisoners.
Maduro has been facing a wave of criticism by the opposition over discontent with his government and acute economic and social problems, including the marked drop in oil prices, hospital crises during the spread of the notorious Zika virus, power outages and skyrocketing inflation.