Venezuela opposes Norway as facilitator for political talks with opposition

FILE PHOTO: Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Dag Nylander, Representative of Norway government and Gerardo Blyde Perez, head of the opposition delegation of Venezuela, shake hands after meeting to seek consensus on how to overcome the economic and social crises gripping Venezuela, in Mexico City, Mexico August 13, 2021. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The Venezuelan government is unwilling to resume negotiations with the country's opposition on issues such as free elections and lifting economic sanctions if Norway acts as facilitator as it did last year at talks in Mexico, four sources close to the process told Reuters.

President Nicolas Maduro's government has recently insisted on Russia's presence at any negotiations, two of the sources said. Russia is a strong ally of Maduro's government.