MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Macron and Lula urge Maduro to resume talks with the opposition

Neither Macron nor Lula have recognized Maduro's electoral win

Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil were reported Friday to have spoken on the telephone with Veenezuela's Nicolás Maduro to persuade him to resume talks with the opposition after being inaugurated for a third consecutive six-year term following the controversial July 28, 2024, elections.

Unlike many Western countries who recognized Edmundo González Urrutia of the Unitarian Democratic Platform (PUD) as the legitimate winner, neither Macron nor Lula have recognized either candidate's triumph and adopted a more neutral approach, however critical of Maduro's alleged victory based only on an announcement from Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) later upheld by the Supreme Court despite the minutes published by the PUD proving otherwise.

During a telephone conversation reportedly lasting some 30 minutes, Macron and Lula asked Maduro to resume dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition. “France and Brazil are willing to facilitate the resumption of dialogue, with the aim of allowing the return of democracy and stability in Venezuela,” read a statement from the French presidency.

“All those detained because of their political opinions or commitments must be released immediately,” it went on. The opposition is mainly represented by González Urrutia and the disenfranchised María Corina Machado.

Macron was also said to have held conversations on Thursday with Machado reaffirming France's support for the Venezuelan people and defending the right to peaceful demonstration and free assembly. “The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected, as must their right to assemble and protest peacefully,” Macron was quoted as saying.

The French government also said that Macron “renewed his invitation to Lula” to visit France in June and “to take part in the United Nations Conference on the Oceans.”