Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reaffirmed his commitment to peace and development during a meeting with opposition leaders, seeking consensus ahead of the July 28 elections.
During the meeting, the president stressed “the importance of dialogue and cooperation for the stability and development of Venezuela.”
The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, yesterday met with leaders of the independent opposition, in an effort to form the National Front for Peace in view of the presidential elections on July 28. During the meeting, the president stressed “the importance of dialogue and cooperation for the stability and development of Venezuela.”
The opposition leaders present were Adrian Azuaje, mayor of the “Obispos” municipality, Barinas state; Eduardo Negrette, mayor of the “Samuel Dario Maldonado” municipality (La Tendida), Tachira state; Jesus Mendez, mayor of the “Piritu” municipality, Anzoategui state; Juan Carlos Zamora, mayor of the “Tinaco” municipality, Cojedes state; Sulme Avila, mayor of the “Juan German Roscio” municipality (San Juan de los Morros), Guarico state; Luis Pinto, mayor of the “El Socorro” municipality, Guarico state; Carlos Prosperi, opposition political leader; and Daniel Coronel, youth leader from Carabobo.
Carabobo youth leader Daniel Coronel took the opportunity to offer a message to “all the young people outside the country” and remind them that the economic situation in Venezuela “has improved considerably” and that it is now possible “to give these young people a future.” Coronel added: “We know that it is not the same situation as in 2013.”
For his part, Adrian Azuaje, mayor of the “Obispos” municipality, Barinas state, said that, as a representative of the western plains, he only wants to “work for Venezuela.” Luis Pinto, mayor of El Socorro, Guárico state, asked the president for support for small agricultural producers “who have not planted for years.” Méndez, mayor of the “Píritu” municipality, Anzoátegui state, expressed his confidence in the vote: “I was elected by vote and I believe in peace, in reconciliation, I believe in politics where common ground is sought and where the needs of the people are considered.” Sulme Ávila, mayor of San Juan de los Morros, Guárico state, stressed the need to work for peace: “Enough of hatred, enough of evil.” Juan Carlos Zamora, mayor of the municipality of Tinaco, Cojedes state, considered this meeting necessary and recalled that he was trained in the ranks of the revolution and after learning the “truth” of the opposition, he decided to return.
During the meeting, Maduro said that his government “will support the projects of opposition leaders in their municipalities.” He also stressed that the country’s economic recovery was possible “thanks to the efforts and resistance” of the Venezuelan people. “If the country is experiencing any recovery today, it is thanks to the people who stood up, innovated, created, worked and did not give up,” said Maduro, while highlighting that Venezuela has a robust and stable economic system, with the bolivar recovering its historical value.
The head of state also announced the imminent signing of a decree to “promote peace in the country,” which will include a national agreement on trade, culture, politics and security. In his speech, Maduro praised the courage of the independent opposition and their messages in favor of peace. “There will always be differences, postures, positions, we are just an atom in the history of humanity and an atom in the history of the country,” he said.
At the end of his speech, the president stressed the importance of the common good and the need to put aside individual interests for the well-being of the country. “We are all temporary in our positions, in leadership; but the time we are here has to be for the good, to help and to support noble causes,” concluded Maduro.
Source: Ambito
