The first round of negotiations between representatives of the Venezuelan government and the opposition has ended in Norway without any tangible result. Opposition leader Juan Guaido said yesterday in Caracas that „no agreement“ has been reached in Oslo. „We thank the Norwegian Government for its will to contribute to ending the chaos in our country.“
The self-proclaimed transitional president, however, expressed his desire for further talks. „We have clearly defined our path: ending the illegal takeover, forming an interim government and free elections,“ Guaido’s office said yesterday after the meeting in Oslo. Afterwards Guaido said according to media reports that the street protests in Venezuela will continue.
No information about exact content
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said that both sides had demonstrated their readiness to reach a „constitutional“ solution to the conflict. About the exact content of the discussions, the participants did not provide information. Representatives of the government and the opposition had come together under Norwegian mediation for the first time since the beginning of the power struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and Guaido for direct negotiations.
Parliament President Guaido and President Maduro have been delivering a bitter power struggle for months. While many states have already recognized Guaido as the rightful transitional president, Maduro is still firmly in the saddle in Venezuela. Guaido, who demands Maduro’s resignation, is recognized by more than 50 states as a transitional president, including the US and Germany. Maduro has been able to count on the support of large parts of the army as well as Russia, China and Cuba.
