Talks between Venezuela govt and opposition continuing, says mediator Norway

Talks between the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition are continuing in Barbados, the foreign ministry from mediator Norway said late on Thursday in a rare statement about the progress of the discussions. "The representatives of the central political actors in Venezuela are continuing the negotiations initiated in Oslo with the purpose of working continuously and as efficiently as possible," the ministry said in a statement.

Talks resumed this week to try to find ways to resolve the political crisis in the Latin American nation. Opposition leader Juan Guaido invoked the constitution in January to assume a rival interim presidency after declaring Maduro's 2018 re-election a fraud.

Maduro calls him a puppet of the United States and blames the country's economic problems on U.S. sanctions meant to force him from office. Venezuela is suffering a hyperinflationary economic meltdown that has resulted in malnutrition and disease and spurred a migration exodus of four million citizens.

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