Venezuela dialogue mediators call for ‘living in peace’

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – The mediators of an ongoing effort for national dialogue in Venezuela on Wednesday asked the government and the opposition to respect the declaration in which they committed to "live in peace".

The cessation of the "campaign of public disqualifications that do not contribute to peaceful coexistence" was demanded by the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Vatican representative Claudio Celli, and four former Latin-Americans presidents.

"Respect for the public, political and personal powers should be imposed as the only rational way of preserving the national dialogue", the mediators said in statement posted at UNASUR website.

Venezuela’s government and the opposition agreed Saturday to work on a road map to normalize the constitutional relationship between the powers of the state.

They also committed to combat "sabotage, boycott or aggression" of the Venezuelan economy and to explore measures to improve medicine and food supplies to citizens struck by a crippling crisis.

Before the deal, the two sides exchanged accusations of a “coup d’etat” for allegedly overstepping their public authority.

Opposition lawmakers hold President Nicolas Maduro’s administration responsible for a compounded economic and political crisis in the oil-rich country.

A recall referendum to overthrow Maduro was suspended last month by the Supreme Court, which had earlier invalidated the parliament over a technicality in MP appointments that the lawmakers refused to work together to resolve.