Venezuela: Government and opposition hold talks on political crisis

President Maduro shook hands with opposition leaders including Jesus Torrealba

The Venezuelan government and opposition parties have met for the first time this year to try to resolve the country's deep political crisis. 

President Nicolas Maduro attended the first of several rounds, supervised by a Vatican envoy and other mediators. The opposition wants a referendum on whether Mr Maduro should step down.

Opposition protesters rallied on Margarita island on Wednesday

For its part, the left-wing government accuses the opposition of fomenting street violence and wants it to drop "neo-liberal" economic policies.

• What's behind Venezuela's turmoil?

The meeting, at a museum in the west of the capital, Caracas, follows a general strike and huge opposition rallies.


Mr Maduro shook hands with the five opposition leaders including Jesus Torrealba, who heads an umbrella group - the Democratic Unity coalition. "There is no alternative to dialogue and meeting in search of the nation's common interests," Mr Maduro said as he arrived.

Vatican envoy Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli urged both sides to engage in serious dialogue to defuse the mounting political crisis. "The Pope is following the situation of this country very closely and hopes this process can continue peacefully," he said.

Former political leaders from Panama, the Dominican Republic and Spain, including former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, are also helping to mediate.