President Maduro in meeting with a delegation from opposition party Pencil Alliance and the Venezuelan government delegation for dialogue, on December 7, 2022, in Miraflores Palace. Photo: Presidential Press.
On Wednesday, December 7, President Nicolás Maduro held a meeting with representatives of the Pencil Alliance party at Miraflores Palace, the seat of the Venezuelan presidency, to continue the dialogue between the Venezuelan government and various sectors of the opposition.
After the meeting ended on Wednesday night, both sides described it as fruitful and beneficial, detailing the discussion of various political, social, and economic issues.
#EnVideo📹| Jefe de la delegación del Gobierno de Venezuela, @jorgerpsuv informó que tuvieron una conversación interesante con los dirigentes de la Alianza del Lápiz desde el punto de vista del panorama político, social y económico.#08Dic pic.twitter.com/22BSuww7D8
— VTV CANAL 8 (@VTVcanal8) December 8, 2022
The head of the Venezuelan government delegation for the dialogues, Deputy Jorge Rodríguez, told the press that the meeting served to reaffirm the will for dialogue and negotiation in spite of differences of opinion. “This meeting with the Pencil Alliance, a centrist movement that is part of the opposition against the Bolivarian government of President Nicolás Maduro, shows—together with the gesture of President Maduro—that in democracy, adversaries and political opponents meet, talk, discuss, disagree, and also reach agreements,” he said.
President Maduro Meets with Opposition Group at Miraflores Palace, Agenda to be Drafted
Topics discussed
Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, stated that the dialogue with the Pencil Alliance is part of a series of dialogues moving towards concrete agreements.
“We reviewed part of the social agreement that was signed in Mexico City with a sector of the Venezuelan opposition, and we also discussed issues that are at this moment of great importance for all the people of Venezuela,” he said.
Rodríguez added that political disagreements were not the only subject of discussion. The meeting also revolved around issues related to the daily life of the Venezuelan people and their “needs, expectations, hopes, and vision for the future.”
“The most important thing that came out of this meeting was the agreement for the continuation of these dialogues from another point of view, from the point of view of [the opposition’s] political proposals,” Rodríguez said. “We, from the side of the Bolivarian Revolution, are talking to show, once again, that this is what democracy looks like.”
“Democracy includes dialogue between adversaries, dialogue between opposites, and the possibility of reaching agreements, with a very concrete question: what are the things that we all defend as Venezuelans? National sovereignty, the right to live freely, the independence of Venezuela, and respect for the constitution,” he stressed.
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Pencil Alliance satisfied with the meeting
After the meeting, Antonio Ecarri, leader of Pencil Alliance, expressed his satisfaction for the “political opening that has taken place today.
“We are satisfied with this first meeting,” Ecarri commented. “We have come here with our ideas, with our proposals. We have come here feeling that there is a Venezuela in pain that deserves a unique solution, a a unique solution that has to be provided by the people, with transparency, without fear, and with a nationalist perspective. Today we are very satisfied that we Venezuelans are coming together for the sake of Venezuela.”
He said that Pencil Alliance has proposed to President Maduro that the dialogue be transformed into “a people’s dialogue, a dialogue with social sensitivity, a dialogue with all sectors of Venezuela and not just the political sector… Besides that, we have proposed a serious, transparent dialogue, but with quick responses, with three types of measures: some urgent measures, and others ongoing.”
“I hope that there will be many more meetings to continue our work for the children of Venezuela, for our country, and to reunify our families,” Ecarri added. “We believe in democratic means, in the popular vote… I want to ratify our commitment and respect for the constitution and national sovereignty because we are nationalists.”
(RedRadioVE) by Victoria Torres
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/KZ
