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By Sabina Di Muro
CARACAS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- International support for dialogue between Venezuela's ruling and opposition forces has gained momentum, strengthening the government's call for talks to allay rising tensions in the South American country.
The 25-member Association of Caribbean States (ACS) was the latest bloc to back talks this Saturday, following on the heels of a similar decision Wednesday by the permanent council of the 34-member Organization of American States (OAS).
With their endorsement of dialogue, the two regional groups succeeded in diffusing a potentially explosive situation sparked by OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro's proposal to apply the so-called Democratic Charter against Venezuela's government.
The charter, applied against members that break with democratic principles, could have suspended Venezuela from the bloc. But more importantly, it would have unfairly strengthened the right-wing opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which wants to overthrow Venezuela's democratically-elected socialist government.
In an interview with Xinhua, political analyst Alberto Aranguibel said the right wing has been under the misconception that Venezuela's ruling Untied Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has few friends, an impression forged by aggressive anti-government campaigns and coverage by media outlets owned by the country's elite.
"They thought the country was politically isolated on the international stage," said Aranguibel, adding that "based on that error, they activated Almagro's claim, thinking, mistakenly, that they could count on the backing of Latin American and Caribbean nations."
Almagro's "resounding failure" in activating the Democratic Charter shows the right wing "believes more in the virtual Venezuela they themselves have erected" through privately-owned national and international media agencies, than in the real Venezuela.
The ACS wrapped up its 7th summit in Havana, Cuba on Saturday with a special declaration expressing solidarity with Venezuela's embattled government, and urging the opposing political camps to dialogue to relieve the growing tension.
"Noting the dialogue efforts promoted by the government" and the role of Unasur (Union of South American Nations) as mediator of such talks, the ACS said in its declaration that it supported an initiative put forward by former Prime Minister of Spain Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, former Presidents of the Dominican Republic and Panama, Leonel Fernandez and Martin Torrijos, "for the reopening of effective dialogue between the government and the opposition in order to find ways to encourage political stability, social development and economic recovery of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."
"Hopefully now we can sit down at the negotiating table to dialogue with the opposition, without it getting up or breaking the rules of the game," Maduro told summit participants, referring to prior instances in which the right wing has failed to see talks through to the end, imposed unilateral conditions or simply refused to cooperate.
One case in point was the opposition's rejection in April of a Truth Commission to investigate, with Unasur's presence, crimes committed during violent anti-government protests which began in early 2014, in order to present reparations to the victims.
The truth commission was proposed as an alternative to an Amnesty Law the opposition-controlled National Assembly approved to pardon those responsible for the violence, but which the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional.
Venezuela's executive branch had invited members of the MUD to join the commission, but the opposition refused.
The PSUV maintains national reconciliation can only come after the truth has been out and justice been served.
"President Maduro has proposed dialogue since day one," said Aranguibel. "It was even a revolutionary proposal presented by late President (Hugo) Chavez as state policy from the beginning of the revolution."
The international backing for dialogue should compel the opposition to sit at the negotiating table with the executive branch, within the framework of the laws and the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (CRBV).
MUD representatives did meet with government officials at the end of May as part of Unasur-mediated talks.
However, key opposition figures continue to make it clear that their priority is to push for a recall referendum on revoking Maduro's presidency.
The head of the opposition Justice First (PJ) party and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, who lost to Maduro in 2013, has repeatedly said via Twitter and other social networks that talks take a back seat to the recall referendum.
"Precisely the problem we have is that we don't have a democratic opposition," said Aranguibel.
Venezuela's former embassador to the OAS, Roy Chaderton, said the MUD should heed the organization's vote in favor of dialogue.
"The opposition in Venezuela will have to adapt to the resolution, because it endorses President Nicolas Maduro's initiative. Once again, diplomacy wins as a ... means to resolve conflict," said Chaderton.
Aranguibel agrees, saying the opposition now finds itself trapped in a "dead end."
Meanwhile, Capriles, who is also governor of the populous state of Miranda, has called for a new wave of anti-government protests to take place Tuesday to pressure the National Electoral Council (CNE) into fixing a date for the referendum.
Protesters are to march to the CNE's headquarters in Caracas.
"The government wants to negotiate anything in return for (calling off) the RECALL! We reiterate, it is the People's Recall, it is not negotiable!" Capriles tweeted on Monday. Enditem
