VENEZUELA: Government and opposition representatives in Venezuela agreed a 22-point plan at the weekend, opening the way to a constitutional referendum on President Hugo Chavez's continued rule.
Such a vote can legally take place halfway through Mr Chavez's period in office, in this case August.
In return for the possibility of an early recall vote, the opposition has agreed to abide by peaceful, legal means in pursuit of its objectives.
Hours after the agreement was signed, a large bomb ripped through the building where the talks had taken place, a reminder that some militants have yet to renounce unlawful methods to oust President Chavez.
The Attorney General, Mr Isaías Rodríguez, announced yesterday that a Colombian citizen had been held in connection with the blast. The political agreement, which came after five months of talks, was hailed as a victory for Mr Chavez, who survived a brief coup a year ago and an upper-class strike which paralysed the country's economy in February.
There are still serious disagreements over how the referendum will proceed, as President Chavez has insisted that any signatures collected before August will be invalid. The opposition must collect 2.5 million signatures, or 15 per cent of the electorate, and have them authenticated by a new electoral council, if the plebiscite is to proceed.
President Chavez will have the right to stand for office once more even if he loses the referendum.
Polls indicate that a subsequent election could be won by Mr Chavez, as the opposition remains divided and lacking in leadership.