Pulling Venezuela back from the brink
In just the past few weeks, President Obama has opened official ties with Cuba and clinched a nuclear deal with Iran. Now Venezuela, another longtime US adversary, might be next in line for a bit of reconciliation with Washington.
Secretive negotiations between the two countries have picked up in recent months, perhaps reversing years of belligerency and estrangement. The talks have come none too soon. Venezuela鈥檚 economy is faltering fast, even more so than Greece鈥檚, with mobs looting supermarkets, inflation reaching triple digits, and opposition figures like Leopoldo L贸pez being thrown in jail by President Nicol谩s Maduro.聽
The rest of the world, especially other countries in Latin America, should be cheering on these talks. The country has experienced an average of 14 protests a day. A collapse of the Venezuelan economy or its government is in no one鈥檚 interest, especially its neighbors.聽
With the world鈥檚 largest known oil reserves, Venezuela could eventually be a model for other countries in how to use its resources well, instead of being a sad lesson in corruption, personal rule, and economic mismanagement.聽
In a speech this week, Mr. Obama defined his approach to adversaries like Venezuela with words from a previous US leader:聽
鈥淧resident Kennedy warned Americans not to see conflict as inevitable, accommodation as impossible, and communication as nothing more than the exchange of threats.鈥� Obama added that the United States, as the anchor of the international system, has a strong tradition of exhausting diplomacy.
The US has been rightly cautious in seeking rapprochement with the Maduro regime. It should not undercut the efforts of the country鈥檚 political opposition. It must welcome actions from others in Latin America. And it must first emphasize universal concerns, such as human rights violations and a humanitarian concern for the growing food crisis.
One outside and neutral body, the International Crisis Group, warns of an 鈥渁ccelerating deterioration鈥� in Venezuela. 鈥淚f not tackled decisively and soon, it will become a humanitarian disaster with a seismic impact on domestic politics and society, and on Venezuela鈥檚 neighbors,鈥� ICG states in a July report. And 26 former heads of state in Latin America have signed an open letter about the 鈥渄ifficult social, economic and political situation鈥� in Venezuela and called for the release of jailed political prisoners.
In recent weeks, at least two prisoners have been released and the government has agreed to hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 6. Both actions might be tied to the talks with the US. But the most urgent step is for the regime to allow the international community to monitor the elections without hindrance. A credible vote would begin to restore confidence in the country while contested elections might worsen it.聽
Other countries can help Venezuelans reconcile with each other. That is why the talks with the US are so critical. 聽
