Signs of rapprochement as US, Venezuelan officials meet

[Zorro]

Source: AP

President Nicolas Maduro says a recent meeting between Venezuelan and U.S. officials has opened an important channel that could lead toward restoration of full diplomatic relations.

Maduro's comments came Monday night following a Saturday meeting in Haiti that included Venezuelan National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez and senior U.S. State Department official Tom Shannon. Haitian President Michel Martelly mediated.

The State Department called the bilateral talks "positive and productive."

Relations between the two countries have rarely run smooth, but they deteriorated rapidly earlier this year after Venezuela imposed a visa requirement for U.S. tourists and ordered the U.S. to slash its embassy staff in Caracas. Washington then declared Venezuela a security threat and imposed sanctions on top officials.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/signs-rapprochement-us-venezuelan-officials-meet-144131057.html

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As goes Cuba, so goes Venezuela.

[cstanleytech]

1. Maybe, difference is what Cuba did is decades in the past where as what the government

of Venezuela is recent and I suspect there will be alot of pressure put on Venezuela to make reparations and if they dont I honestly dont see the US government restoring full ties let alone many companies being willing to invest in Venezuela which is what Venezuela badly needs atm.

[Hulk]

2. I might just mention also that imposing visa requirements is typical jockeying ...

Mexico and Ecuador did it several years ago, as in a tit-for-tat way to show animosity to each other; and it wasn't long after that Peru and Mexico did the same.

But, I agree with the earlier statement. Cuba is old grudges; Venezuela is current. May take more than a few meetings to iron this one out. There is some serious social unrest in Venezuela.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. With an approval rating hovering around 22%, I'm surprised Maduro hasn't been run out on a rail.

He obviously has no idea what he's doing.

[NobodyHere]

4. I didn't realize that 78% of Venezuelans are CIA agents.