Mexico, Uruguay propose four-stage mechanism for peace in Venezuela

Montevideo, Feb 7 (IANS) Mexico and Uruguay on Wednesday in this capital proposed the so-called "Montevideo Mechanism," a four-stage process consisting of immediate dialogue, negotiation, commitments and implementation to achieve peace in Venezuela.

"We're proposing the Montevideo Mechanism as per our legitimate interest and readiness to contribute to helping the Venezuelan people and the involved actors find a solution to their differences," the two nations said in a joint communique backed by the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

If Venezuela's elected government, headed by President Nicolas Maduro, and the opposition -- unified behind the figure of self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido -- agree to dialogue in accord with this plan, the head of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (Segib), Rebeca Grynspan, former Uruguayan Foreign Minister Enrique Iglesias and former Mexican Foreign Secretary Bernardo Sepulveda would be invited to accompany the process.

In addition, a top Caricom representative and "figures of recognized international experience and moral quality" would also be called upon to participate, reports Efe.

In that regard, the tripartite initiative is being established as a "peaceful and democratic alternative that favours dialogue and peace to foster the necessary conditions for a comprehensive and lasting solution."

According to the proposal, the first phase -- that of immediate dialogue -- is designed to generate the conditions for direct contact among the involved actors "within a secure environment."

Immediately thereafter, the process would move to the negotiation phase where a "strategic presentation of the results of the dialogue phase" would be made to the parties in which points in common and areas of opportunity would be sought to make their positions more flexible and identify potential areas of agreement.

The third phase, that of commitment, would consist of constructing and signing the agreement based on the results of the previous phase.

Finally, the implementation phase would be undertaken with international monitoring and support.

Although Mexico and Uruguay, along with the Caricom countries, recognize "the level of complexity and the circumstances" in Venezuela, they also said in the document that they feel this is "no reason to reject diplomatic routes to the solution of controversies."

In addition, they reiterated their concern over the serious humanitarian situation in Venezuelan and "respectfully" urged the parties to guarantee the preservation of human rights.

Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez and his foreign minister, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, met in Montevideo on Wednesday with Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to discuss the Venezuelan crisis.