Venezuela will resume talks with US, President Maduro says

NEWS WIRES

2 July 2024 at 3:26 am·1-min read

Venezuela will renew dialogue with the US from next Wednesday following a proposal from Washington, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday. The US has since April levied crippling oil sanctions on the country over the Maduro government’s crackdown on the opposition ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that talks would soon resume with the United States, which has reimposed crippling sanctions on the South American country's oil industry, as he looks towards this month's election.

Maduro claimed that Washington had initiated the proposal and that Caracas had agreed to it after two months of careful consideration.

"Next Wednesday, negotiations with the United States will resume," Maduro said on state television.

Last year, the United States and Venezuela launched secret negotiations in Qatar. Ultimately, they agreed to a sweeping prisoner swap deal brokered by the Gulf state.

Washington released Maduro ally Alex Saab, who had been accused by the United States of money laundering for Caracas.

In return, Venezuela handed over a fugitive named Leonard Francis, who was at the center of the US Navy's worst-ever corruption scandal, freed 20 Venezuelan political prisoners and released 10 US detainees.

The Venezuelan leader said he hoped for "dialogue, understanding, a future for our relationship."

(AP)

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