(Bloomberg) -- Pope Francis has told Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro he has always been in favor of mediation efforts, but underlined previous talks were halted because agreements were not respected, in a letter cited by newspaper Corriere della Sera.
In reply to a written request from Maduro for the Vatican to act as a mediator in the standoff with National Assembly President Juan Guaido, the Pope stressed in the letter dated Feb. 7 that he was not in favor of just “any kind of dialogue,” Corriere said.
What Francis supports is dialogue which sees “the different parties in conflict put the common good above any other interest, and work for unity and peace,” Corriere cited the letter as saying. The letter was addressed to “Excelentisimo senor” (Very excellent Sir), not “Presidente,” Corriere noted.
Francis referred to previous efforts by the Vatican, and requested by Venezuelan authorities. “Unfortunately, they were all interrupted because what had been agreed in the meetings was not followed by concrete action to carry out the accords,” the Pope said.
A parliamentary delegation sent by Guaido met Edgar Pena Parra, a senior official in the Vatican's Secretariat of State, earlier this week in Rome.
Pena Parra pledged to support efforts for free elections, and expressed “the will to do everything so that this year we can have free elections in Venezuela,” Rodrigo Diamanti, in charge of humanitarian aid from Europe and part of the parliamentary delegation, told reporters.
To contact the reporter on this story: John Follain in Rome at jfollain2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Kevin Costelloe
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