Maduro invites UN, EU for conciliation talks with oppn

Caracas, Jan 24 (IANS) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro invited delegates from the European Union (EU), UN and the governments of Argentina, Mexico and Panama to accompany his government's conciliation talks with the opposition.During a rally here on Thursday, Maduro called on the regional governments and the international organisations to follow the process of the talks, as the two sides were trying on an agreement for holding legislative elections, reports Xinhua news agency.Maduro suggested UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a "commission" of electoral observers, "so they can be witnesses on the day the Venezuelan people recover their National Assembly"."The Constitution mandates that (legislative) elections be held in 2020," he said, calling on Venezuelans to join the poll as "Venezuela's path is democracy, freedom, the vote"."I want to go to elections where all the opposition takes part," said the President.Maduro's re-election in 2018 was rejected by the hard-right opposition, which boycotted the elections, claiming the process was skewed in favour of the ruling socialist party.
--IANS ksk/