Maduro offers to talk to his opposition

More than a week into a standoff with the opposition, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday that he is willing to negotiate.

Violent street demonstrations erupted last week after opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as "interim president".

Maduro, who previously rejected calls for negotiations, said in an interview with Russian state-owned RIA Novosti news agency that he was open to talks.

"I'm willing to sit down for talks with the opposition so that we could talk for the sake of Venezuela's peace and its future," he said.

Maduro said a meeting could be held with the mediation of other countries. He mentioned Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia, the Vatican and Russia.

Maduro also accused US President Donald Trump of ordering a hit on him from Colombia. He said he was aware of Trump's "orders" for the Colombian government and the local mafia to kill him.

On Tuesday, Guaido urged Venezuelans to step outside their homes and workplaces for two hours on Wednesday in the first mass mobilization since last week's protests.

Precautionary measures

Meanwhile, Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice, or TSJ, barred Guaido from leaving the country and froze his financial assets.

The court's order came hours after Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced that he requested the high court to apply precautionary measures against Guaido.

"We are requesting to the TSJ the application of the following precautionary measures - prohibiting departure from the country, selling and mortgaging real and personal property and freezing bank accounts," the attorney general said.

Saab said that the request to the TSJ is in line with a preliminary investigation opened against Guaido "in response to violent events that were incited in the country beginning on Jan 22".

US National Security Adviser John Bolton, in response to Saab's request, wrote on social media that "there will be serious consequences for those who attempt to subvert democracy and harm Guaido".

Maduro was re-elected in the May presidential elections with 67.84 percent of the vote, and he was sworn in as president on Jan 10 for another six-year term.

Alleging that the Maduro administration is illegitimate, Guaido, head of the National Assembly, declared himself "interim president" during an anti-government rally on Jan 23.

The US, Brazil and some other countries have recognized Guaido's presidency, with Trump warning that "all options are on the table". Maduro, in response, cut diplomatic and political ties with the United States.

On Monday, the US announced sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA, which the US Treasury described as "a primary source of Venezuela's income and foreign currency", in an attempt to put financial pressure on Maduro.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that US sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company amounted to illegal and open interference in the Latin American country's domestic affairs.

Moscow is assessing the impact on Russia from sanctions and intends to use all legal mechanisms at its disposable to protect Russia's interests in Venezuela in light of the sanctions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

AP, Xinhua and Reuters contributed to this story.

(China Daily 01/31/2019 page12)