Maduro calls dialogue in Mexico a "success" after first agreements

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that the dialogue with the opposition Unitary Platform taking place in Mexico is a "success", after his delegation announced the first partial agreements reached in the second round of meetings that began last August.

"It is a success in Mexico, but a success for all Venezuelans, for peace, for recovery. We did it again! Congratulations to Venezuela, thanks to Mexico," Maduro said in a video posted on his Twitter account.

The president celebrated as a victory the partial agreements reached, such as "the ratification and defence of Venezuela's sovereignty over Guayana Esequiba" and the "economic and social protection of Venezuelans".

"We did it in Mexico, we did it again in Mexico," insisted the president, who also shared the communiqué from Norway, which is driving the negotiations, on his Twitter account.

In the communiqué, Norway indicated that "the parties agreed to establish mechanisms for restoring and securing resources to meet the social needs of the population, with special emphasis on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those coming from multilateral organisations".

The negotiations between the Unitary Platform and the government, which began on 13 August in Mexico, will have a new round between 24 and 27 September, according to the parties, who reiterated today that the process could be long and complex.

On 13 August, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding that outlines an agenda to discuss "political rights for all", electoral guarantees and a timetable for observable elections.

It also covers the lifting of sanctions, the renunciation of violence, reparations for victims, protection of the national economy, social protection measures, and guarantees for implementation, monitoring and verification.