Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 17 May 2019
Mediation in Norway aims to resolve Venezuela crisis

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA Washington Office on Latin
Associated Press America.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) “It’s become pretty clear
— Diplomatic efforts aimed neither has been able to
at resolving Venezuela’s impose their dominant
crisis accelerated on Thurs- strategy on the other,” he
day as the government said.
and opposition sent envoys Ramsey added that the
to talks in Norway, though Venezuelan envoys would
the two sides’ mutual mis- have to resist pressure from
trust and differences on key allies who don’t want to
issues could prevent any compromise.
quick solution. Guaidó confirmed that en-
The Norwegian attempt voys were in Norway, but
to mediate, confirmed by warned that the opposition
opposition officials, comes won’t enter into any “false
amid tensions that ex- negotiation.”
ploded into street violence He said any talks on resolv-
when the opposition called ing the Venezuelan crisis
in vain for a military uprising must lead to the end of
on April 30. Details about President Nicolás Maduro’s
the initiative, including government, its replace-
whether envoys from op- ment by a transitional ad-
posing camps would even ministration and free and
negotiate directly, were Venezuela’s opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido speaks during fair elections.
scarce. a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, May 16, 2019. Maduro disputes opposition
But it coincides with dip- Associated Press claims that his reelection
lomatic efforts elsewhere: Tamil Tiger rebel negotia- made several trips to Cara- of the sensitivity of the initia- last year was illegitimate
Opposition leader Juan tors. Seven years ago, ne- cas. tive. and says U.S. sanctions im-
Guaidó said in Caracas gotiators from the Colom- Per Wiggen, an official from Without elaborating, Mad- posed on Venezuela to try
that he planned to meet bian government and left- Norway’s Ministry of For- uro said Rodríguez was on to oust him should be lifted.
a delegation from a mostly wing FARC rebels held their eign Affairs, did not con- a “very important” mission Participation in the media-
European group of nations first direct talks in a decade firm planned talks in Oslo, outside Venezuela. tion effort is a reversal for
later Thursday, and Cana- in Norway. though Norway has urged The myriad diplomatic ef- the opposition, which has
dian Foreign Minister Chrys- The Norwegian Centre the two sides to talk since forts reflect a recognition in accused Maduro of us-
tia Freeland met Thursday for Conflict Resolution has February. Minister Ine Erik- Venezuela that neither side ing previous negotiations
with Cuban Foreign Minister worked behind the scenes sen Soereide told lawmak- has been able to prevail between 2016 and 2018
Bruno Rodríguez in Havana. since last year to bring the ers on March 5 that Norway in the struggle for power, to play for time. Maduro,
Norway has hosted secret two sides in Venezuela to- could be a mediator. leaving the country in a in turn, alleges the oppo-
peace talks over the years. gether. In October, it spon- The representatives in Nor- state of political paralysis sition tried to seize power
They include the negotia- sored an initiative to bring way include Information after years of hyperinflation by force. U.S. officials have
tions between Israelis and a Harvard-trained conflict Minister Jorge Rodríguez on and shortages of food and said they are focusing on
Palestinians in September resolution expert to Cara- the government side and medicine. diplomatic and econom-
1993, talks between the cas to foster dialogue. In Stalin González, a leading “You don’t negotiate be- ic measures to force out
Philippines government recent months, with the member of the opposition- cause you want to. You ne- Maduro. However, Guaidó
and Maoist rebels in 2011, support of Norway’s for- controlled congress, ac- gotiate because you have said his Washington envoy
and the brokering of a eign ministry and diplo- cording to opposition offi- to,” said Geoff Ramsey, would meet with the head
2002 cease-fire between mats based in Bogota, Co- cials who spoke on condi- a Venezuela researcher of the U.S. Southern Com-
Sri Lankan government and lombia, its representatives tion of anonymity because at the nongovernmental mand on Monday.q
Mexico City closes schools,

restricts traffic due to smoke

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- weekend,” Sheinbaum The activists said the city
ico City officials cancelled said. should include extremely
classes for millions of stu- She said a light, localized small particles as a cause
dents Thursday for a sec- rain overnight had done for imposing emergency
ond straight day as smoke little to cut the pollution, measures. Such particles
from brush fires continued which remained at about are frequently found in
to choke the city of 9 mil- 1 ½ times acceptable lim- smoke, diesel exhaust and
lion. its. dust. Emergency mea-
Both lower schools and The city also declared a sures are currently im-
universities were closed partial driving ban, but posed mainly for ozone
for the pollution alert and activists of the Citizen Ob- levels.
Mayor Claudia Shein- servatory on Air Quality The group said “forest fires
baum said they would re- called Thursday for officials are unfortunately going to
A man wearing a face mask crosses a street backdropped
by the National Palace shrouded by haze, in the Zocalo, main closed Friday. to limit polluting activities be an ever more frequent
Mexico City’s main square, Thursday, May 16, 2019. “We don’t expect this situ- like truck transportation problem as a result of
Associated Press ation to change until the and construction sites. global warming.”q