Venezuela opposition promises renewed street movement

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan opposition leaders are calling for a renewed wave of street protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The South American country’s opposition coalition on Thursday rejected proposals from international facilitators to revive talks with the socialist administration.

The opposition put a protest movement on hold and engaged in dialogue with the deeply-unpopular government from October through December last year. Those talks fell apart after the opposition said the government was unwilling to make concessions.

The more than two dozen parties that make up the opposition coalition are demanding new elections, the release of imprisoned activists and increased respect for the independence of national institutions like congress and the Supreme Court.

Critics of Maduro staged a protest Monday that drew several thousand people and shut down a Caracas highway.