Jailed ex-leader Maduro welcomes ‘any path to dialogue’ in Venezuela ahead of US talks

Venezuela’s imprisoned former leader Nicolas Maduro on Sunday welcomed “any path to dialogue”, ahead of a US-backed meeting in the coming week between representatives of the Latin American country’s interim government and opposition leaders.

“We welcome any path to dialogue that helps consolidate peace, coexistence, and reconciliation among Venezuelans,” read a message posted on the official Telegram account of the deposed president, who is imprisoned in New York following his capture in a US military operation in January.

The two countries have now agreed on a road map for talks on “gradual normalisation” of their diplomatic ties, the Venezuelan foreign ministry said in a statement.

The former bus driver hand-picked by Hugo Chavez to succeed him claimed victory in presidential elections in 2024 and a mandate for a third term, even though the then US-backed opposition released voting tally sheets showing its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had scored a landslide victory.