Venezuela: Gov't, opposition agree on major deals

Delegations of Venezuelan government and opposition agreed on three points that focus on economic and political matters at the National Table established for dialogue. President Nicolas Maduro also participated in the meeting held at Miraflores Palace on Monday, according to the Caracas-based TV channel TeleSur.

Claudio Fermin, leader of Solutions for Venezuela Party, said after the meeting that during two months of negotiations they have made important progress and "Venezuelans already see a way to start designating a new National Electoral Council", in the face of the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Fermin also said complementary tables have been set up to discuss emergency economic measures and political party issues.

The meeting came a day after the opposition leader Juan Guaido said the negotiation process with the Maduro government was "dead three months ago".

Communication and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez detailed the three points advanced at the dialogue table as follows:

1. Establishment of an electoral board guaranteed for the 2020 parliamentary elections, which includes a new National Electoral Council.

2. Actualization of the exchange of oil for medicine and food and eliminate taxes on a large number of items, which will lower the price and make it affordable for everyone.

3. National reconciliation.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, Communication and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez, Education Minister Aristobulo Isturiz, and the Head of National Constituent Assembly Francisco Torrealba represented the government during the meeting.

The opposition delegation includes Javier Bertucci of Hope for Change Party, Felipe Mujica of Movement To Socialism Party, Claudio Fermin of Solutions for Venezuela Party and Timoteo Zambrano of Let's Change Citizen Movement Party.

Early September, the Maduro government and five opposition party leaders announced they agreed on starting a new dialogue process to tackle the problems facing the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) nation, as crude oil is country's main export. 

The Mesa Nacional -- or National Table -- process was established to focus on future elections, prisoner release and unified opposition to the U.S. blockade.

Since the beginning of the year, Venezuela has been embroiled in political unrest as Maduro and Guaido engaged in a power battle, while the country's economy has been in precipitous decline following a global downturn in the price of crude oil.