OREANDA-NEWS. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the start of negotiations with the Venezuelan opposition, including its leader, the head of the local national assembly Juan Guaydo (in January he declared himself acting president of the republic instead of Maduro). The politician said this at a press conference, the video of which was broadcast on his official Twitter.

The parties to the meeting arrived in Barbados, the channel NTN24. On the eve there, the head of state said, the first session of negotiations took place. Maduro himself didn't participate in it, but received from the head of the delegation of the Venezuelan government a “very favorable” report on this dialogue. The meeting lasted about five hours.

The Venezuelan leader did not disclose its details, noting only that he was now “very optimistic” about the possible results of the negotiations. “Step by step” this dialogue, according to the head of the Bolivarian Republic, opens for Venezuela “the path of peace, non-violence and constructive dialogue”. Representatives of the current authorities of the country, Maduro continued, arrived in Barbados "with a six-point agenda that addresses all the problematic issues of Venezuela". As a result of their consideration, the president expressed hope, the parties will be able to reach "partial agreements for the benefit of Venezuela".

Last year, he won the presidential election, but the local opposition and a number of Western countries did not recognize the results of this vote. They explained their position by the fact that several politicians weren't admitted to the campaign. After that, the guaiido at the rally of thousands of opposition proclaimed himself the acting president of the country. In this capacity, he was then supported by the USA, Canada, the EU countries and the states of Latin America. Russia and Turkey, in turn, supported the Maduro government. The soldiers and representatives of the Ministry of Defense of the country also remained loyal to him.