Venezuela’s opposition refused to join peace talks with the government yesterday after both sides were invited to restart negotiations in the Dominican Republic.

President Nicolas Maduro accepted an invitation from that country’s ex-president Danilo Medina and former Spanish PM Jose Luis Zapatero to resume internationally mediated negotiations in Santo Domingo planned for today.

But the right-wing opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition said it would not engage in talks unless the government addressed a list of demands including the release of all “political” prisoners — including many jailed for violence.