Venezuelan opposition to participate in regional elections

Venezuelan opposition parties say they will participate in the regional and municipal elections scheduled for November, a reversal from their boycotts of recent balloting

Venezuela Regional Elections (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Venezuelan opposition parties announced Tuesday they will participate in the regional and municipal elections scheduled for November, reversing ground from their previous boycotts of recent balloting.

The announcement came days before the opposition and the government of President Nicolas Maduro are expected to meet in Mexico City to continue negotiations on finding a common path out of Venezuela's political standoff. Both sides agreed to discuss electoral matters as part of the dialogue, which officially began earlier this month.

The agenda that representatives of Maduro and the opposition agreed for the negotiations contemplates election observers, a renunciation of violence, reparations for victims of violence, social and economic measures and the lifting of international sanctions, which have been imposed on the state oil company, government leaders and others.

The regional and municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 21.

The opposition parties grouped in the so-called “Unitary Platform” and led by Juan Guaidó boycotted previous elections, including the re-election of Maduro as president in May 2018, arguing that Venezuela lacks the conditions for free and just contests.