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Venezuela's Rival Sides to Resume Talks in Norway Next Week

Venezuela's Rival Sides to Resume Talks in Norway Next Week

(Bloomberg) -- Representatives of the main political actors in Venezuela will return to Oslo next week to resume talks, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said.

“Norway commends the parties for their efforts and appreciates their disposition,” Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said in a statement on Saturday.

A multipronged diplomatic push to break Venezuela’s political stalemate began last week, with a European Union mission visiting Caracas and envoys from both President Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido, the National Assembly leader recognized as interim president by some 50 nations.

Venezuela's Rival Sides to Resume Talks in Norway Next Week

The talks appeared to end with no progress as neither side committed to further dialogue and the government rebuffed calls from Guaido and much of the outside world for a general election.

The Norwegian statement gave no details about the scope or goals of the talks and didn’t specify a date.

Maduro and Guaido have clashed since January, rallying followers to the streets and support from their allies abroad as runaway inflation, rampant shortages and crumbling infrastructure make daily life miserable for Venezuelans.

Despite record low approval and international isolation, Maduro has held tight to the levers of power with the help of still-loyal military forces and aid from allies including China and Russia.

To contact the reporters on this story: Jonas Bergman in Oslo at jbergman@bloomberg.net;Nacha Cattan in Mexico City at ncattan@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Ludden at jludden@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher, Tony Czuczka

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