Exclusive: Venezuela and the United States will begin talks today but without a face-to-face meeting; these are the topics they will discuss

The first meeting between the United States and Venezuela will be held on Wednesday, July 3, as announced by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Mexico and Barbados were considered possible venues for the meeting, but the situation changed.

This initial meeting will be remote, according to a source who informed EL TIEMPO. Although in the coming days the parties are likely to meet in Mexico, a country that has already served as the venue for talks between Caracas and Washington in the past.

The points that Washington and Caracas will discuss

EL TIEMPO learned that one of the points to be discussed will be Caracas’ request to the Joe Biden administration to eliminate the $15 million reward for the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

This newspaper also learned that the opposition will join the meetings, albeit with a reduced delegation, since on this occasion “the main interlocutors will be the United States and Venezuela.”

Maduro announced that Jorge Rodriguez and Hector Rodriguez will represent him. This newspaper learned that Gerardo Blyde and Luis Aquiles Moreno will represent the opposition.

This is not the first meeting between the two administrations. Communication between Maduro and Biden (or at least their representatives) has been frequent for quite some time now.

Maduro, for example, revealed in April that his chief negotiator, Jorge Rodríguez, held meetings in Qatar with Brian A. Nichols, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

“These agreements will surely have to be published, for history, so that the truth of the diplomatic efforts we have made, of the dialogue efforts we have made, is known,” Maduro said in April, referring to the meeting in Qatar.

Ana Maria Rodriguez Brazon – Weather correspondent – Caracas