Business and industry unions meet with the Maduro Parliament

(Credit: AVN)

(CNN Spanish) ––

The president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, met this Wednesday with the directors of the country's most important business and industrial unions.

This, within the framework of the so-called Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace.

Rodríguez and the businessmen discussed the vaccination strategy against covid-19.

Also, about the economic crisis in the country, which has been in hyperinflation since the end of 2017.

The meeting between the directors of Fedecámaras and Conindustria and the highest representative of the Parliament –– whose election is not recognized by the United States, the Lima Group and 25 of the 27 member countries of the European Union–– is a rare event.

Chavismo has not had fluid relations with private companies since then-President Hugo Chávez was briefly overthrown in April 2002 by a civic-military movement led by Pedro Carmona Estanga, who then presided over Fedecámaras.

In fact, Rodríguez recalled that in 2020 the questioned president Nicolás Maduro proposed a "cease-fire" to work together with different sectors to face the pandemic.

But unfortunately, he added, "the call was not answered."

The leader of the parliament stressed: "Venezuelans want us to understand each other despite our differences."

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Rough relationships

Rodríguez's tone contrasts with the harsh relations maintained by both sectors throughout the Chavista era.

Fedecámaras has held a critical speech with the governments of Chávez and Maduro.

It also recognized the proclamation of Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela on January 23, 2019.

However, since mid-2020, Fedecámaras issued criticism about the strategy of promoting and maintaining international sanctions against Venezuela.

This, because it considers that they affect both businessmen and citizens.

After the meeting, the president of Fedecámaras Ricardo Cusanno made it clear that the meeting took place at the request of the Legislative Power.

And he added that among the proposals was "to open a sincere, direct communication and, above all, to seek solutions for and for the nation."

The opposition leader Juan Guaidó reacted to the meeting between the business community and the majority-ruling Assembly.

In this sense, he assured that "he understands the position of those who are forced in some way to sit with the dictatorship."

In his opinion, the objective of these meetings called by the ruling party "is to divide the opposition under the guise of dialogue."

National Assembly