DHAKA: Major factions of Venezuela’s opposition coalition have denied joining government-proposed talks, just hours after the group’s head agreed to hold dialogue with President Nicolas Maduro following intervention by the Vatican.

In a surprise move, Jesus Torrealba, the leader of the opposition Democratic Unity coalition (MUD), had agreed to join the dialogue proposed by the socialist Maduro following his meeting with Pope Francis.

But on Tuesdsay (October 25), Henrique Capriles, the two-time presidential candidate, said “no dialogue has begun in Venezuela,” adding that he had found out about the talks on television.

“These devils want to use the good faith of Pope Francis to buy more time,” he said that reports the Aljazeera.

Opposition leaders were caught off guard by Torrealba’s decision to join the talks on Monday, which are to be mediated by the Vatican, regional bloc the Union of South American Nations, and three former international leaders on the Caribbean island of Margarita.

“Dialogue cannot mean a government strategy to win time,” Torrealba said after meeting a Vatican envoy in Caracas. “It is a space to fight for a better country for all.”

No official agenda of the talks was announced, but the opposition is bound to bring up complaints about the foiling of its bid to remove Maduro via a referendum and the sidelining of the National Assembly.

For its part, the government will probably reiterate its charge that its opponents are guilty of fraud, violence and coup plans.

Monday’s decision had aimed to calm tensions after the opposition accused Maduro of staging a “coup d’etat” by blocking its referendum bid.

The opposition members, who hold a majority in the legislature, had pledged to debate on Tuesday whether to mount a “political trial” against Maduro.

It is calling for nationwide protests for Wednesday as Venezuela's third year of recession has paralysed the economy, with widespread food shortages and rising prices.

BDST: 1846 HRS, OCT 25, 2016
BD