Opposition leaders have demanded an end to political persecution and a return to democracy. Vatican officials said the pope is following the situation in the embattled South American nation "very closely."
Image: picture alliance/abaca/C. Becerra
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro late Sunday met with opposition leaders of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) umbrella group in a landmark meeting aimed at defusing tensions in the South American nation.
"I hereby stress my total commitment to this dialogue process. I am reaching out, extending my hand to talk with the MUD," Maduro said. "Let us do our utmost to move forward in a progressive, sustained way."
The meeting marks the first of its kind in nearly a year marked by a vicious economic downturn and growing political discontent with Maduro's government, which the opposition blames for the OPEC country's problems.
The opposition delegation said in a statement that it would "demand an end to the repression and persecution of democrats and the people, and will walk away from the dialogue if the demands are not resolved in the short term."
However, some opposition parties, including the hardline Popular Will party, objected to participating in the Vatican-backed talks, warning that the "conditions are not in place for dialogue."
"The government insists on blocking all the peaceful, constitutional and democratic means," said an open letter from MUD parties that rejected the talks.
Scarcity, riots and drought: Venezuela is in trouble
Lufthansa has canceled service to Caracas as Venezuela's economic turmoil worsens. The country is one of the world's largest oil producers, but plunging prices have brought inflation to 180 percent in the past year.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/EFE/M. Gutiérrez
Hyperinflation bites into economy
Hyperinflation has made doing business in Venezuela untenable for many domestic and foreign firms. With the currency dropping, the government has made it difficult to convert bolivars into US dollars.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Ismar
Food shortages
Food shortages have become pervasive, spurred on by hyperinflation. Empty store shelves have become all too common across Venezuela.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Barreto
Queuing up to buy food
Food shortages mean that people have to wait in line to buy essential food items at select locations. Here people line up outside a supermarket in the poor neighborhood of Lidice, in Caracas.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/R. Schemidt
Gathering signatures
Opposition leaders launched a petition drive to collect signatures for a recall referendum. They needed 200,000 signatures, or 1 percent of the electorate, but they got 1.8 million voters to sign.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Gutierrez
Green light for petition
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles shows journalists that the National Election Council has given permission for the referendum to go ahead. But President Nicolas Maduro's government is trying to delay the vote.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Gutierrez
Pushing for referendum
Protesters have taken to the streets, demanding that the referendum go forward.
Image: Reuters/M. Bello
Students protest
Students have also taken to the streets to demonstrate. They are protesting both the overall economic stagnation and also the government's efforts to delay the referendum.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/R. Schemidt
Severe drought
A devastating drought has exacerbated Venezuela's problems. What was once a vast reservoir, held back by a hydroelectric dam, is now little more than a series of mud puddles.
Image: Reuters/C.G. Rawlins
Drought wreaks havoc
The country depends on the Guri Dam - one of the world's largest - for a significant portion of its electricity. While the reservoir is turning to desert, citizens endure daily black outs, and government offices open just two days a week to save electricity.
Image: Reuters/C.G. Rawlins
Health care suffers
Oliver Sanchez, 8, holds a sign that reads "I want to heal, peace, health" during a protest against the shortage of medicines in Caracas. Oliver has Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but the medicine he needs is no longer available.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Maduro under fire
Venezuela's economic dip is largely the result of oil prices that have plunged more than 50 percent in the past two years. But a severe drought is crimping electricity supplies, and focusing people's ire on Maduro.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/EFE/M. Gutiérrez
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'Continue peacefully'
The Vatican has placed its weight behind the talks after Maduro met with Argentine Pope Francis.
"The pope is following the situation of this country very closely and hopes this process can continue peacefully," said papal envoy Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli.
The Catholic Church in Venezuela called on both sides to attend the meeting to "avoid a spiral of violence that would increase the suffering of our beloved people."
Last week, thousands of Venezuelans rallied against the electoral board and rejected a recall referendum on Maduro's presidency.
The opposition has vowed to march on the presidential palace this week, the site of a 2012 failed coup against Maduro's mentor and predecessor Hugo Chavez.
