Venezuela govt, opposition vow to find peaceful way out of crisis

CARACAS: Venezuela's embattled government and the opposition committed themselves Saturday to seeking a peaceful, democratic way out of a deepening crisis that has led to food shortages and sky-high inflation.

"We solemnly agree that our political differences can only be settled strictly within the framework of the constitution, and along a democratic, peaceful and electoral path," representatives of both sides in a Vatican-backed dialogue said in a statement.

Opposition MUD coalition leader Jesus Torrealba has warned his side would seek early elections if President Nicolas Maduro keeps refusing a referendum, as he has vowed.

Under constitutional rules, the opposition must secure a referendum before January 10 if it wants to remove Maduro. Otherwise he or his allies will keep power until 2019.

The agreement unveiled Saturday does not mention early elections.

But MUD negotiator Carlos Ocariz read out a statement later that said the opposition would press on "until it gets the most important thing: national elections and a recall referendum."

Vatican envoy Claudio Maria Celli said the sides had agreed to "a roadmap" that aims to normalize constitutional relationships between the branches of government, and deal with the crisis.

He said the delegates agreed on the need to give priority to increasing the supply of food and medicine through stepped up production and imports.

In the political realm, they agreed to resolve an impasse over the Supreme Court's having declared the National Assembly in contempt for having sworn in three deputies. The court had blocked the three from taking their seats after the government claimed they won by fraud.

Ocariz said new legislative elections would be held in the state where the deputies were from. But neither the joint statement nor the government made mention of that.

The parties also agreed to "work together" on adding two seats to the National Electoral Council, Celli said. The opposition has long protested that the council, whose mandate expires next month, is stacked with Maduro loyalists.

Although there was no mention of it in the documents released, Ocariz said the sides also had agreed to the release of political prisoners and jailed activists but gave no specifics.

The parties agreed to meet again in December 6, and to broaden the talks to include representatives of unions, the private sector, and two state governors.