TALKS between Venezuela’s government and opposition were set to resume in Caracas yesterday, with demands for a presidential recall referendum apparently off the table.

The negotiations mediated by Vatican envoy Monsignor Claudio Maraa Celli and former leaders of the Dominican Republic, Panama and Spain were the third formal meeting between President Nicolas Maduro and the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) opposition

The right-wing coalition had demanded a recall vote against Mr Maduro before the mid-January cut-off date, despite starting the proceedings hopelessly late in May.