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Vatican to Act as Mediator Between Venezuela’s Dueling Sides Vatican to Act as Mediator Between Venezuela’s Dueling Sides
(35 minutes later)
CARACAS, Venezuela — As President Nicolás Maduro flew to Rome for a hastily arranged meeting with Pope Francis, representatives of Venezuela’s government and a leader of the opposition agreed on Monday to allow the Vatican to mediate a dialogue about solving the country’s political crisis. CARACAS, Venezuela — As President Nicolás Maduro flew to Rome for a hastily arranged meeting with Pope Francis, representatives of Venezuela’s government and a leader of the opposition agreed on Monday to allow the Vatican to mediate a dialogue intended to solve the country’s political crisis.
The accord appeared to mark a pause in Venezuela’s escalating tension, which intensified last week when the country’s electoral council suspended the opposition’s drive for a referendum to recall Mr. Maduro.The accord appeared to mark a pause in Venezuela’s escalating tension, which intensified last week when the country’s electoral council suspended the opposition’s drive for a referendum to recall Mr. Maduro.
This is the first time that the Vatican has succeeded in bringing representatives of the two sides together since it began attempts to intercede in May.This is the first time that the Vatican has succeeded in bringing representatives of the two sides together since it began attempts to intercede in May.
The first formal meeting between the two sides is scheduled for Sunday on Margarita Island. The pope’s envoy, Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig, will preside over the gathering.The first formal meeting between the two sides is scheduled for Sunday on Margarita Island. The pope’s envoy, Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig, will preside over the gathering.
Jesús Torrealba, the secretary general of the coalition of opposition parties, met with government representatives on Monday and agreed to the Vatican’s mediation. But other opposition leaders did not attend the meeting, and it was unclear how united the opposition would be behind the dialogue.Jesús Torrealba, the secretary general of the coalition of opposition parties, met with government representatives on Monday and agreed to the Vatican’s mediation. But other opposition leaders did not attend the meeting, and it was unclear how united the opposition would be behind the dialogue.
Leopoldo Lopez, a jailed opposition leader, wrote in a series of Twitter messages that a dialogue was “not possible” after the recall referendum was suspended and “the people’s right to express themselves was robbed.” Leopoldo López, a jailed opposition leader, wrote in a series of Twitter messages that a dialogue was “not possible” after the recall referendum was suspended and “the people’s right to express themselves was robbed.”
Mr. Lopez repeated his call for a large protest on Wednesday.Mr. Lopez repeated his call for a large protest on Wednesday.
Gov. Henrique Capriles, who ran against Mr. Maduro in the 2013 presidential election, said he was not aware of the coming meeting in Margarita Island. “In Venezuela, we haven’t started any dialogue,” said Mr. Capriles, who is governor of the state of Miranda. He echoed Mr. Lopez’s call for a Wednesday protest, which he said could reach the presidential palace in Caracas.Gov. Henrique Capriles, who ran against Mr. Maduro in the 2013 presidential election, said he was not aware of the coming meeting in Margarita Island. “In Venezuela, we haven’t started any dialogue,” said Mr. Capriles, who is governor of the state of Miranda. He echoed Mr. Lopez’s call for a Wednesday protest, which he said could reach the presidential palace in Caracas.
At the Vatican, Mr. Maduro spoke privately with Pope Francis for 30 minutes on Monday in a meeting that a Vatican spokeswoman said had been arranged just “hours in advance.” The Vatican said the pope “desired to continue to offer his contribution” to “build trust between the various parties.”At the Vatican, Mr. Maduro spoke privately with Pope Francis for 30 minutes on Monday in a meeting that a Vatican spokeswoman said had been arranged just “hours in advance.” The Vatican said the pope “desired to continue to offer his contribution” to “build trust between the various parties.”
The conciliatory tone was a sharp contrast to a day of confrontation on Sunday, when the National Assembly, which is controlled by the opposition, declared that Mr. Maduro had committed a coup against the Constitution. Experts said the pope, who is from Argentina, was eager to help defuse the crisis in Venezuela.
The special legislative session was briefly interrupted by redshirted government supporters who burst onto the floor.
Although the opposition won a majority in the assembly in December elections, Mr. Maduro’s leftist government controls all the other institutions of government, including the courts and the electoral council, which oversees elections and referendums.
The president’s allies have chipped away at the legislature’s authority in a series of decisions. Most recently the Supreme Court ruled that it could approve the national budget, allowing Mr. Maduro to bypass the National Assembly altogether.
Opposition parties, which blame Mr. Maduro for Venezuela’s economic collapse, have been trying to organize a recall referendum, arguing that it is the only legal avenue left to remove him from office. They needed to gather signatures of 20 percent of the electorate in each state to trigger the referendum. Wednesday was to be the first of three days of collecting the signatures.
Polls show that Mr. Maduro would lose a referendum, and he, in turn, has called the drive a coup against him.
On Monday, Jorge Rodríguez, the mayor of Caracas and a leader in Mr. Maduro’s Socialist Party, welcomed the dialogue. “We make ours the phrase that the pope once used: The search is the search for peace, dialogue, reconciliation and forgiveness,” Mr. Rodríguez said.
Experts said the pope was eager to help defuse the crisis in Venezuela.
“I think the Vatican’s diplomacy has always wanted to create bridges,” said Paolo Rodari, the Vatican correspondent for the daily La Repubblica. “In particular, given how grave the situation in Venezuela has become, the pope must have decided to try to mediate and help like he did with Cuba.”“I think the Vatican’s diplomacy has always wanted to create bridges,” said Paolo Rodari, the Vatican correspondent for the daily La Repubblica. “In particular, given how grave the situation in Venezuela has become, the pope must have decided to try to mediate and help like he did with Cuba.”
Mr. Rodari added, “Francis has a deep knowledge of South American problems, and his sensitivity toward the continent certainly pushes the Vatican to act swiftly.”