Representatives of the Venezuelan government and opposition have decided to return to Norway for a mediation effort aimed at resolving the political crisis in the South American country, the Norwegian government said Saturday.
Norway said it will facilitate discussions next week in Oslo, in an indication that the negotiation track is gaining momentum after months of escalating tension between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
The government delegation includes Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza as well as the information minister, Jorge Rodríguez, and Héctor Rodríguez, the governor of Venezuela's Miranda state, and Larry Davoe, said a government official who was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.
In this May 20, 2109 photo, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro flashes a hand-heart symbol to supporters outside Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. Maduro said Thursday, May 23, 2019, that he iss inviting China's Huawei to help set up a 4G network in Venezuela, prompting opposition leader Juan Guaidó to accuse him of having an "absolute disconnection with reality." (AP PhotoAriana Cubillos)
Opposition representatives are Stalin González, a senior member of the opposition-controlled congress, Fernando Martínez Mottola, Vicente Diaz and Gerardo Blyde, according to a person who met with the delegation before it headed to Oslo on Saturday.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide praised both sides for their involvement.
Representatives of Venezuela's political factions traveled to the European country earlier this month for talks, but it had been unclear if they would continue to engage with one another amid increased tensions over the opposition's call for a military uprising on April 30.
The opposition had previously ruled out talks, accusing Maduro of using negotiations between 2016 and 2018 to play for time, and has demanded Maduro's resignation and early elections. Maduro, in turn, alleges the opposition tried to seize power by force.
The diplomatic effort reflects recognition in Venezuela that neither side has been able to prevail in the struggle for power, leaving the country in a state of political paralysis after years of hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine. Several million Venezuelans have left the country, creating Latin America's biggest migration crisis.
The United States and more than 50 other countries support Guaidó's claim to be Venezuela's rightful leader. The U.S. has imposed oil sanctions to try to force out Maduro, whose key allies are Cuba, Russia and China.
Norway has a long, successful history of foreign mediation: The country hosted peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in September 1993 and Maoist rebels and the government in the Philippines in 2011. The government also brokered a 2002 cease-fire between Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebel negotiators. Seven years ago, mediators from the Colombian government and left-wing FARC rebels held their first direct talks in a decade in Norway.
Associated Press journalist Joshua Goodman contributed from Bogota, Colombia.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers remain unsure just when they’ll have their top player back on the floor.
So far, they’ve still managed to do just fine in their respective first-round playoff series.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since straining his left calf April 9 and Los Angeles’ Kawhi Leonard has been unavailable all month with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Neither team is saying anything about their potential availability Tuesday when the Bucks attempt to take a 2-0 lead over the Indiana Pacers and the Clippers try to maintain home-court advantage against the Dallas Mavericks.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo “went through a pretty good brisk workout” on Sunday and had been on the court four straight days before taking a maintenance day Monday. The NBA released an injury report Monday night that listed Antetokounmpo as doubtful for Game 2.
Leonard participated in a non-contact practice with the Clippers on Monday.
“He’s got to go through practice today, and we’ll see,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said about Leonard’s status for Game 2.
While the Bucks and Clippers are missing team leaders, the Phoenix Suns have their star trio intact with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal all healthy. But the Suns find themselves in a more precarious position as they try to avoid falling behind 2-0 in their first-round series with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves won 120-95 on their home court in Game 1 by flustering Booker into a 5-for-16 shooting performance.
Booker likened the Game 1 flop to Phoenix’s opening loss in the first round last year at home against the Clippers. The Suns snapped back to take the series in five.
“I’m not saying we’re going to win the next four games, but there was a lot of overreacting after we lost Game 1 to the Clippers,” Booker said after practice on Monday. “It’s just a series.”
Minnesota leads 1-0. Game 2, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: The Timberwolves leaned on their NBA-leading defense in Game 1 with relentless efforts by Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and backup Nickeil Alexander-Walker to help keep Booker and Beal relatively quiet. Their 52-28 rebounding edge was the best postseason margin in franchise history. And they turned 22-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards loose for 33 points.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Timberwolves reserves. Naz Reid, who’s a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award, missed the 2023 postseason with a broken left wrist. He was a beast off the bench along with Alexander-Walker as the backups outscored the Suns bench 41-18.
— INJURY WATCH: The Suns lost sharpshooter Grayson Allen to a sprained right ankle in Game 1, and he’ll be listed as questionable for Game 2 after going 0 for 3 from the floor in 25 minutes in the opener. Minnesota’s Kyle Anderson suffered a hip pointer in a Game 1 collision with Beal’s knee and was limited to five minutes. Anderson practiced Monday.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Suns coach Frank Vogel. When the Suns remade their entire roster over the past year, it wasn’t with the intent of going one-and-done in the playoffs. Vogel — in his first season with Phoenix after coaching the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2020 championship in the pandemic bubble — and his assistants will certainly have some counterpunches ready for defending Edwards and getting Booker going.
Milwaukee leads 1-0. Game 2, 8:30 p.m. EDT, NBA TV
— NEED TO KNOW: Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points in the first half as the Bucks defeated Indiana 109-94 while holding the Pacers to their lowest point total of the season. The Pacers have lost 10 straight postseason games.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: The tempo. The Pacers won four of five regular-season matchups with Milwaukee because the older Bucks roster couldn’t keep up with the fast pace that Indiana employed while scoring a league-high 123.3 points per game. The Bucks controlled the tempo much better Sunday and didn’t allow the Pacers many transition opportunities.
— INJURY WATCH: All eyes are on Antetokounmpo as the Bucks await the availability of their two-time MVP.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. The two-time All-Star averaged 27 points against the Bucks during the regular season but attempted only seven shots in Game 1 and was limited to nine points. The pressure also is on all of Indiana’s outside shooters after the Pacers went just 8 of 39 from 3-point range Sunday.
Los Angeles leads 1-0. Game 2, 10 p.m. EDT, TNT
— NEED TO KNOW: James Harden had 28 points and Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 15 rebounds in the Clippers’ 109-97 Game 1 triumph. The Mavericks scored just eight second-quarter points and trailed 56-30 at halftime.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: The Clippers’ ability to keep switching things up. Lue is a master strategist who knows Doncic and Irving will pounce if the Clippers keep feeding them a steady diet of the same defensive looks. The Mavs scored 25 points in transition and 25 points at the free-throw line. “We got to do a good job of playing defense without fouling, especially when they get in the bonus,” Lue said.
— INJURY WATCH: Leonard hasn't played since March 31 and hasn't participated in any contact practices.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Dallas’ supporting cast. Luke Doncic scored 33 points and Kyrie Irving had 31 in Game 1, but the other Mavericks combined to score just 33 points while shooting 10 of 36 from the floor.
AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell and Beth Harris contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates after a dunk during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) goes up for a dunk during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel and guard Devin Booker (1) walk toward the bench during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel walks toward the bench during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends against LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends against LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts from the bench in front of Indiana Pacers' Obi Toppin during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA playoff basketball game Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts from the bench during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA playoff basketball game Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
