Paraguay's president will not negotiate with Venezuela while Maduro remains in power

The president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, claimed on Tuesday that his government in "no way" will negotiate with Venezuela while Nicolas Maduro is in power.

"In no way. As long as Maduro is president, Paraguay has no relations,” the Paraguayan president replied to a journalist when asked about the possibility of negotiations with Venezuela.

El pdte Mario Abdo Benítez rechaza negociar con Venezuela mientras Nicolás Maduro siga como presidente de la República pic.twitter.com/w0cigIHNrH

— FRANCISCA PEREIRA (@Francis970AM) May 3, 2022

Benítez comments come as the country’s Senate board, led by the president of the National Congress of Paraguay, Óscar "Cachito" Salomón, confirmed that a meeting would take place between the board of directors and Venezuelan deputies to discuss the idea of selling fuel to Paraguay, whose government has faced various protests over the rise in fuel prices.

The Venezuelan deputies—three pro-government members and two opposition members—presented themselves as a "plural parliamentary commission" that did not represent the Maduro regime, according to ABC Paraguay.

They added that their visit yesterday was part of "parliamentary diplomacy" and aimed to reestablish the bilateral relationship between the two countries. In addition, they seek support for the reincorporation of Caracas into the Mercosur Parliament, known as Parlasur.

“What we are looking for is to resume a relationship between Paraguay and Venezuela that should never have been broken due to political differences,” Venezuelan legislator José Gregorio Correa explained to journalists.

Venezuelan deputy Saúl Ortega of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) described the meeting as "very productive, constructive and very frank," continues the Paraguayan newspaper.

Ortega said that the commission is interested in "advancing on the path of integration," for which he believes the reintegration of Venezuela into Parlasur is "fundamental."

Venezuela was suspended as a member of Parlasur in December 2016, and was sanctioned with the definitive suspension of its rights and obligations in August 2017.

The Paraguayan president broke diplomatic relations with Venezuela and announced the closure of his embassy in Caracas in January 2019, after Nicolás Maduro assumed his second term in an electoral process described by several countries as "illegitimate."