Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said during an interview on Monday that he has met twice during the past month with US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams and hopes to maintain communications with the American diplomat
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2019) Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said during an interview on Monday that he has met twice during the past month with US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams and hopes to maintain communications with the American diplomat."I have met two times with Elliott Abrams during the last month," Arreaza told Democracy Now. "We have had meetings that have lasted more than two hours."
The Venezuelan minister noted that he and his counterpart have a "lot of differences" but said both sides "maintain respect" toward each other.
"We hope that this channel with Abrams, whomever is appointed by President [Donald] Trump, is always open," Arreaza said.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier said that Caracas is ready for dialogue with the opposition and the United States leadership who recognized the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly Juan Guaido. On January 23, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president."
Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10 after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup that Washington had orchestrated.
Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have, in the meantime, voiced their support the legitimate government of Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, declaring themselves neutral and promoting crisis settlement via dialogue.
