Venezuelan Leader Challenges Obama to Talks

Local Editor

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged Barack Obama to "accept the challenge" and hold direct talks, a surprise overture made Friday after days of accusing Washington of plotting his overthrow.

The announcement came after nearly three weeks of often protests in Caracas and other major cities.
In Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry chastised Caracas for its crackdown, but nothing about direct talks.

"I am watching with increasing concern the situation in Venezuela," the top US diplomat said in a statement.

"This is not how democracies behave," he said.

Venezuela's relations with the United States, long strained under Chavez, have worsened under Maduro, who has never spoken directly to his US counterpart.
Maduro, who was elected last year, said: "I call a dialogue with you, President Obama... between the patriotic and revolutionary Venezuela and the United States and its government."
Maduro, who lashed out at the US president earlier this week, proposed to restore ties to the ambassadorial level and said he had given his foreign minister "special powers" to handle bilateral dialogue.

Caracas and Washington have not exchanged ambassadors since their respective envoys were withdrawn in late 2010. Venezuela has expelled eight US diplomats over the past year, including three this week.
Obama has called on Venezuela's leftist government to address the "legitimate grievances" of its people -comments that Maduro later dismissed as US meddling in Venezuelan affairs.
In his statement, Kerry urged the government to release jailed members of the opposition and launch a "genuine" dialogue.

"The government's use of force and judicial intimidation against citizens and political figures, who are exercising a legitimate right to protest, is unacceptable and will only increase the likelihood of violence," Kerry claimed.
Shortly before, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said during a visit to Nicaragua that his government was "open to dialogue" with the opposition,.
Maduro also threatened to block US broadcaster CNN, accusing the network of inciting "civil war."

"What we want is peace with the United States, respect, cooperation," Maduro told foreign reporters as he asked Obama to also appoint a negotiator to talks.
"We love the American people, we admire their culture, their music."

Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves.

Maduro's government -- which blames right-wing infiltrators for fomenting unrest -- warned it would cut off gasoline supplies to restless areas.
The government has called for a rival rally by "Chavista women" .

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team