Amid the massive anti-government protests that have left at least 29 dead and more than 400 wounded, Venezuela’s National Assembly president, Julio Borges — one of the country’s top opposition leaders — told me in an interview that there are behind-the-scenes talks with Latin American presidents to create a “group of friendly countries” that would seek a negotiated solution to the political crisis.
In recent days, Latin America’s biggest nations — including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Chile — have signed joint statements demanding the restoration of the National Assembly’s constitutional powers, the release of political prisoners and free elections.