Representatives of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido "reiterated their willingness" to resolve the country's political crisis during talks in Barbados, mediator Norway said on Friday.
The delegates arrived on Wednesday for a third round of talks in Barbados in negotiations that originally began in Oslo in May.
Three weeks ago the rival factions agreed to set up a platform for "continuous" negotiations.
A statement from Norway's Foreign Affairs Ministry said the two sides had "reiterated their willingness to advance in the search for an agreed-upon and constitutional solution, focused on the well-being of the Venezuelan people."
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Soreide described it as "positive" news but gave no details.
Crisis-wracked Venezuela has been mired in a political impasse since January when Guaido proclaimed himself acting president, quickly receiving the support of more than 50 countries.
The oil-rich, cash-poor country has been in a deep recession for five years. Shortages of food and medicine are frequent, and public services are progressively failing.
Around a quarter of Venezuela's 30 million people are in need of aid, according to the United Nations, while close to 3.3 million have left the country since the start of 2016.
Guaido and the opposition accused Maduro of having rigged the 2018 poll that saw him re-elected and describe the socialist leader as a "usurper."
They want him to stand down so new elections can be held.
Maduro has refused to resign and says the talks must lead to "democratic coexistence" and an end to what he describes as an attempted "coup" orchestrated by the United States.
Representatives of Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido “reiterated their willingness” to resolve the country’s political crisis during talks in Barbados, mediator Norway said on Friday.
The delegates arrived on Wednesday for a third round of talks in Barbados in negotiations that originally began in Oslo in May.
Three weeks ago the rival factions agreed to set up a platform for “continuous” negotiations.
A statement from Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said the two sides had “reiterated their willingness to advance in the search for an agreed-upon and constitutional solution, focused on the well-being of the Venezuelan people.”
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Soreide described it as “positive” news but gave no details.
Crisis-wracked Venezuela has been mired in a political impasse since January when Guaido proclaimed himself acting president, quickly receiving the support of more than 50 countries.
The oil-rich, cash-poor country has been in a deep recession for five years. Shortages of food and medicine are frequent, and public services are progressively failing.
Around a quarter of Venezuela’s 30 million people are in need of aid, according to the United Nations, while close to 3.3 million have left the country since the start of 2016.
Guaido and the opposition accused Maduro of having rigged the 2018 poll that saw him re-elected and describe the socialist leader as a “usurper.”
They want him to stand down so new elections can be held.
Maduro has refused to resign and says the talks must lead to “democratic coexistence” and an end to what he describes as an attempted “coup” orchestrated by the United States.
