Page 12 - aruba-today-20171202

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 2 december 2017
Venezuela talks focus on elections, financial crisis

By T. FERNANDEZ said that "if I were Venezu- guez, who led the gov-
S. SMITH elan, I wouldn't go to the ernment delegation, said
Associated Press dialogue." the current leadership is
SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- Reflecting those tensions, capable of enforcing fair
can Republic (AP) — Ven- the opposition delegation elections, despite charges
ezuela's socialist govern- led by National Assembly by critics.
ment and its opposition President Julio Borges for "In this negotiation process,
sought Friday to jumpstart the first time included rep- yes, we will listen to what
negotiations on resolving resentatives from civil so- the opposition has to say"
the country's economic ciety groups. He said that Rodriguez said. "But we will
and political crisis, pres- would add transparency forcefully demand an im-
sured by international to the closed-door talks. mediate stop to the eco-
sanctions and a looming Borges said the opposition nomic aggressions against
presidential election. is repeating longstanding Venezuela."
The planned two-day demands that the govern-
meetings in the Dominican Venezuelan government representatives, from left to right, ment release dozens of Lending urgency to the
Republic are the first for- diplomat Roy Chaderton, Constitutional Assembly President political prisoners, recog- talks is Venezuela's spiral-
mal talks since anti-govern- Delcy Rodriguez, Minister of Communications Jorge Rodriguez, nize the National Assem- ing financial crisis. Despite
ment protests collapsed in and former Vice President Elias Jaua, pose for a photo at the bly's authority and allow holding the world's largest
July with a toll of more than Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before taking part in negotiations humanitarian aid. And oil reserves, the OPEC na-
aimed at resolving Venezuela's ongoing economic and politi-
120 dead and thousands cal crisis, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, Dec. the opposition will push for tion has been battered by
detained. Given the scant 1, 2017. guarantees that next year's the fall in crude prices and
results of previous attempts (AP Photo/Tatiana Fernandez) presidential election will be by a slide in production.
at dialogue, including talks free and fair, he said. The resulting cash crunch
last year mediated by the mands, analysts said. unexpected victory in re- "We come today deter- has aggravated eco-
Vatican, expectations are "I don't think we've seen cent gubernatorial elec- mined to fight for basic nomic problems that have
low. the stars align like we have tions, several opposition rights, such as the right to Venezuelans struggling
But some analysts ex- at this moment," said Geoff parties are boycotting the vote, the right to democra- with skyrocketing inflation
pressed optimism a deal Ramsey, a Venezuela re- talks as well as this month's cy," Borges said upon arriv- and shortages of food and
could be struck because searcher at the Washing- mayoral elections. They ing, adding that they could medicine.
the cash-strapped admin- ton Office on Latin Ameri- say such things legitimize also take to the streets and
istration of President Nico- ca. Maduro's "dictatorship." rally international pressure. Financial sanctions im-
las Maduro is desperately Just the fact that the two The hardliners have won a "We hope to defend the posed by the Trump ad-
looking for support as it tries sides agreed to talk is a sympathetic ear from inter- rights that have been tak- ministration in retaliation
to refinance Venezuela's sign of progress. national critics, including en from Venezuelans," he for Venezuela's alleged
huge foreign debt. That Still smarting from their be- Luis Almagro, the head of said. human rights violations
will give the opposition a lief the government com- the Organization of Ameri- Venezuelan Communica- threaten to exacerbate
foothold to press their de- mitted fraud to pull off an can States, who this week tions Minister Jorge Rodri- the pain.q

Amid disturbances,

Honduras says to hand

count final votes

By FREDDY CUEVAS vote counts and that no
Associated Press announcements would be
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras made until there is a final
(AP) — Honduras' electoral result.
court has finished counting
nearly 95 percent of the After speaking with repre-
vote boxes from last Sun- sentatives of the opposi-
day's presidential election tion alliance and the Na-
and was to begin a hand tional Party, Matamoros
count of 1,031 other boxes said Friday that each party
that presented "inconsis- would be able to accredit
tencies" on Friday. 60 people to participate in
Incumbent President Juan the afternoon count along-
Orlando Hernandez held a side international observ-
lead of more than 46,000 ers. He estimated it could
votes over challenger Sal- take six hours.
vador Nasralla before the But the opposition pub-
last-stage count. It was lished a list of demands that
not immediately clear how included a broader review
many votes could be at of votes in three jurisdictions
play in the uncounted box- where it alleges voter turn-
es. out was unusually high and
Electoral court president said the number of ballot
David Matamoros said late boxes that presented issues
Thursday that representa- was far larger. It was un-
tives of the political parties clear if its demands would
would be present for the be met.q