Biden asks Maduro to release political prisoners

Biden asks Maduro to release political prisonersWashington has no plans to disclose the names of the Venezuelan officials affected by US sanctions under the Law for the Protection of Human Rights and Civil Society in Venezuela, signed by President Barack Obama last month

There are no plans to start a high-level dialogue between the two countries

EL UNIVERSAL

Friday January 02, 2015  09:19 PM

US Vice-President Joseph Biden urged President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro to release political prisoners in his country, during a brief meeting both held on Thursday in Brasilia, an official US source told Efe on Friday.

The conversation between Biden and Maduro was "brief and polite," with "a duration of two or three minutes." It was not scheduled in advance but occurred spontaneously during the inauguration of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, explained an official of the office of the US vice-president, Efe reported.

One of the officials who accompanied Maduro "approached" the US delegation to ask if the Venezuelan president could talk to Biden, during foreign authorities' act of salutation to the Brazilian president, held in Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia.

Once they gathered, Maduro told Biden that Venezuela wants "a better relationship with the United States" and the US vice-president replied that President Barack Obama Administration shares this desire, said the US official, who requested anonymity.

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