Venezuela opposition figures in talks to run in parliamentary vote: Turkey

Two prominent Venezuelan opposition figures are in talks with the government of President Nicolas Maduro to take part in upcoming parliamentary elections, which several opposition parties have planned to boycott, a Turkish official has announced.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who was involved in the talks, said in a press conference on Tuesday that two-time opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles and opposition lawmaker Stalin Gonzalez had been quietly leading an effort to participate in the vote in early December.

Cavusoglu also said that the pair had insisted on the presence of outside observers in the election, which he said Maduro had agreed to.

“We see that [the Venezuelan] administration and the opposition are close to a deal, and we are happy about this,” Cavusoglu said. “The attendance of outside observers is one of the conditions, and these conditions have been accepted by the Maduro administration.”

Cavusoglu said, however, that some opposition parties supported from outside would refuse to take part in the elections under any circumstances.

In a series of tweets, Capriles said he would be willing to have conversations with many international actors to help Venezuela resolve its “crisis.”

Gonzalez did not immediately make a comment.

Back in August, over two dozen Venezuelan opposition parties led by US-backed opposition figure Juan Guaido announced in a statement that they would boycott the parliamentary vote on December 6, claiming that the electoral system was “unfair.”

The statement, signed by 26 opposition parties, accused the government in Caracas of cracking down on political dissent.

However, another wing of the opposition said it would be running in the election.

US-backed opposition parties pledge to boycott Venezuela’s December election

The parties boycotted Maduro’s 2018 re-election on similar grounds and now label him a ‘usurper.’

In reaction to the announcement by Cavusoglu, Guaido’s office said in a statement that the talks had been held without the knowledge or authorization of the country’s opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Venezuela’s government says it will hold the legislative elections this year despite the decision by some opposition parties to boycott the vote. Officials say the vote will be legal as many other parties will be running. 

Venezuela has been in political turmoil since January last year, when Guaido unilaterally declared himself “interim president” of the country. He later launched an abortive coup with the backing of Washington and a number of rogue soldiers.

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