Venezuela President urges US to join ‘peace commission’

Demonstrators clash with members of the national guard during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, on Sunday.
Demonstrators clash with members of the national guard during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, on Sunday.
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BBC Online :Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has urged the United States to discuss “peace and sovereignty” in a high level commission mediated by the Union of South American Nations (Unasur). Maduro also asked President Obama not to heed US factions that he says want to kill the Venezuelan leader.Venezuela blames the US for the anti-government protests that have left 28 people dead in the past month.The US says Venezuela is using it as a scapegoat for its internal problems.Earlier, thousands of government supporters marched through the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, to thank the country’s security forces for their policing of the recent unrest. Maduro and several military leaders held speeches praising the “civic-military” partnership.He also proposed the creation of a “high-level commission” to discuss “peace and respect to the sovereignty” in Venezuela.The Venezuelan president said he wanted the head of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, to negotiate with a “high-level officer” of the US administration under the auspices of Unasur.”President Obama: give peace, and respect, a chance and let’s set the foundation for a new type of relations between the US, Venezuela and if possible, Latin America and the Caribbean,” he told the crowd in a speech broadcast on radio and TV. Maduro also warned Obama against agreeing to alleged plans to kill him, put forward by “extremists” in the US administration.”It would be the worst mistake in your life to authorise the assassination of President Nicolas Maduro and fill [Venezuela] with violence,” he told the crowd, adding he was a “humble president and bus driver” who like Obama also had “African grandparents”.The opposition has called for further protests on Sunday against “Cuban repression” in the country and criticised the government’s march.

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