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Venezuelan government plans to continue talks with opposition — foreign minister

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said that "nothing and no one will make us leave the negotiations table"
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza EPA-EFE/Rayner Pena
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza
© EPA-EFE/Rayner Pena

CARACAS,August 6. /TASS/. The Venezuelan authorities do not plan to give up on negotiations with the opposition following new US sanctions, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told a press conference on Tuesday.

"Nothing and no one will make us leave the negotiations table. We are participating in talks with concrete proposals, in order to make them regular and reach a political agreement with the Venezuelan opposition to guarantee peace and stability in the country," Union radio quoted Arreaza as saying. Earlier on Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said that talks with the government continue.

In May, at least two rounds of indirect talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition were held in Oslo under Norway's mediaton. On July 8, the new round of talks started in Barbados. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that talks were comprehensive and did not rule out that consultations may result in an agreement.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans Americans from doing business with the Venezuelan government. The Venezuelan authorities described the new US sanctions as an attempt to disrupt the negotiations process and facilitate unconstitutional power change in Caracas.