US accuses Venezuela’s Maduro of defying pressure to negotiate
Moscow is owed $3.1bn in sovereign debt by Venezuela
Washington — There are no signs that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is open to negotiations to end the political impasse with opposition leader Juan Guaido, Washington’s envoy for Venezuela says. Elliott Abrams, who served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W Bush, said any negotiated solution would need to be reached among Venezuelans, and that the US could help by lifting or easing US sanctions and travel restrictions once Maduro agrees to go. Abrams, however, played down any possibility that the Venezuelan president is ready to talk about his exit. “From everything we have seen, Maduro’s tactic is to stay put,” Abrams said on Friday. About 56 countries have recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim head of state, but Maduro retains the backing of Russia and China, as well as control of state institutions including the military. Moscow ‘ready’ for talks Abrams has met Russian representatives to the US about Moscow’s support for Maduro. Russian foreign minister ...
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