Venezuelan putschists back at peace talks

Envoys from Venezuela’s putschist opposition were in the Dominican Republic yesterday for “definitive” talks with the government.

Representatives from the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition and President Nicolas Maduro’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) government arrived on Wednesday.

Dominican President Danilo Medina said: "We are in the process of transforming an agenda that will lead to a definitive negotiation to the crisis."

Government delegation leader Jorge Rodriguez, a former vice-president and current Mayor of Caracas’ Libertador municipality, said: "We are close to reaching an agreement with the opposition on decisive points, we are in a prime moment of dialogue.”

Also with the government team was former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez, now president of the National Constituent Assembly, elections to which which the Mud boycotted on July 30.

“We have come here with a flag of peace,” she said.

The Mud delegation was led by parliamentary speaker Julio Borges, a leader of the hard-line Justice First (PJ) party, part of a Mud faction which opposed standing candidates in next months regional elections.

But the summit cold mark a turning point in the Venezuelan crisis after four months of regime-change riots that ended in August after 124 deaths.

Earlier this week Mr Medina invited the two sides to resume negotiations stalled since February following a Mud boycott.

Former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero, one of several international mediators in the original talks launched last year, said: “I have great confidence in the government of President Danilo Medina and the foreign minister who are doing a great job.”

The mystery of the Guanches

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Venezuelan opposition declares "Zero Hour" for regime change

Venezuela’s opposition declared “Zero Hour” in its putsch against the socialist government on Monday — emboldened by US support. Leaders of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition gathered for the announcement of their takeover plan a day after their unauthorised referendum seeking a mandate for regime change. National Assembly vice-president and Popular Will (VP) acting leader Freddy Guevara said the Mud-controlled parliament would announce the results of the plebiscite on Tuesday. It asked voters to reject President Nicolas Maduro’s calling of a constitutional reform assembly demand the army support the opposition and back a “national unity government.” But before the announcement of the result Mr Guevara said the national Assembly would form a new government on Tuesday — a move beyond its constitutional powers — along with 1,020 local “Zero Hour committees.” He called a “national general strike” for Thursday while on Friday the assembly would again exceed its powe

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