Venezuela urged at UN to seek national dialogue, free inmates
GENEVA - Paraguay led nearly 30 countries on Thursday in calling at the United Nations for Venezuela to engage in a national dialogue with the opposition to preserve peace and security, and to release political prisoners.
Oscar Cabello Sarubbi, Paraguay's vice minister of foreign affairs, read out the statement on behalf of a total of 29 countries including Britain and the United States at the UN Human Rights Council.
It drew a rebuke by Venezuela and allies including Cuba and Syria at the Geneva forum.
The joint statement urged all parties in Venezuela to hold a "timely and effective dialogue", either directly or via facilitators, "to preserve peace and safety, to ensure the full respect of human rights, due process, the separation of powers and the consolidation of a representative democracy".
