Caracas and Washington Agree to Improve Relations, US Claims 'Always Open to Dialogue'

The head of the Venezuelan government delegation for dialogue, Jorge Rodríguez, has reported that, following the first meeting held with representatives of the US government after the resumption of the dialogue process, both nations have made agreements to work together to gain trust and improve relations, as well as to maintain communications in a respectful and constructive manner.

The information was announced this Wednesday, July 3, through a post published via social media, expressing how Venezuela conveyed its “condemnation of the misrepresentations of this dialogue that have been repeatedly spread by US government spokespersons,” to the US government.

Jorge Rodríguez also said that Venezuela insists that the dialogue should be limited to what was agreed in Qatar, and that in order to continue recovering mutual trust and relations between governments, the principles of self-determination, sovereignty, and mutual reciprocity must be respected.

Venezuela has the Advantage in New Round of Dialogue with the White House

Last Monday, President Nicolás Maduro announced that this Wednesday, the “direct dialogue” with the US government would be resumed, “so that they comply with the agreements signed in Qatar, and to re-establish the terms of the dialogue with respect and without manipulation,” he stated, during a broadcast of his weekly television program Con Maduro+.

President Maduro added that for the past two consecutive months, he has received the proposal from the US government to re-establish direct dialogue, and after having thought about it in depth, he decided to accept it. Maduro emphasized the need for these talks to be public and transparent, “to avoid manipulation.”

The Venezuelan democratically elected government of Nicolás Maduro has consistently promoted direct negotiations with the US government, despite its imperialist stances and actions towards Venezuela and countless other nations, including that of not recognizing the results of the 2018 Venezuelan presidential elections. The only condition requested by the Venezuelan throughout this process has been respect for Venezuela’s independence and sovereignty, and to abandon the imperialist approach of superiority that characterizes the US empire.

Venezuela’s Path for Peace: Dialogue Without Hidden Agenda

Washington’s side of the story
The US government also made an announcement on Wednesday, where it insisted that it is open to dialogue with the government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. “The only comment I can make is that we are always open to dialogue. I have said this many times,” said the US State Department’s head for Latin America, Brian Nichols, in a telephone press conference, refusing to mention the fact that the US government’s condition has been for years the exit of Nicolás Maduro. Under this premise of “regime change,” it has promoted an “interim government,” coups d’état, illegal and unilateral sanctions, mercenary incursions, and numerous other questionable and vicious actions.

Nichols is one of the United States’ main interlocutors with both the Maduro government and the anti-Chavista opposition, a task in which the White House participates not only as an intermediary, but, as many analysts claim, as another political actor in the Venezuelan political life, or even acting as the head of the Venezuelan far-right opposition.

Later, at a press conference, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated the US request that the dialogue process be in “good faith” and reaffirmed the request that the presidential elections on July 28 in the South American country be competitive and inclusive. Jean-Pierre made this statement in full awareness of the breach of the Barbados Agreement enabled by the far-right opposition and their White House supporters, the opposition’s allowing of far-right activists preparing destabilization plots, and the refusal to recognize the constitutional decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice to uphold the long-standing political disqualification on far-right politician María Corina Machado.

(Últimas Noticias) by Carlos Eduardo Sánchez with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

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