Argentinian President Alberto Fernández spoke to FRANCE 24 after being a guest speaker at the Paris Peace Forum, which ran from November 11-12 this year. Fernández also took part in a roundtable discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and members of the Venezuelan opposition.
Asked whether he thought there was a new chance for dialogue between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition, Fernández was hopeful.
There have been "major steps" towards new talks, he said, noting that members of the opposition that previously rejected any negotiation with the Maduro regime have started to come around.
But Venezuela is still suffering under drastic economic sanctions introduced by former US president Donald Trump, Fernández noted.
The sanctions introduced by Trump "were really brutal", he said, adding that ultimately Venezuela was left isolated and impoverished, prompting millions to flee. The Biden administration, by contrast, is taking a "more reasonable view", said Fernández.
