Kerry launches talks with Venezuela but backs disputed referendumSANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced high-level talks to ease tensions with Venezuela’s socialist government on Tuesday, just hours after he backed calls for a referendum that could force President Nicolas Maduro from office.   Kerry said the talks would start immediately in Caracas and be led by Thomas Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region. Attempts last year at dialogue between the ideological foes were stalled by Venezuela’s deepening crisis. The two countries have been embroiled in diplomatic hostilities since the administrations of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and U.S. President George W. Bush. Kerry said the goal was to go beyond “the old rhetoric.” “I’ve committed to see if this can work so let’s see if we can improve the relationship,” he told reporters, after huddling with his Venezuelan counterpart on the sidelines of an Organization of American States (OAS) meeting in the Dominican Republic. The talks would also be aimed at fostering dialogue between Venezuela’s government and opposition, Kerry said. Maduro welcomed the proposed talks and repeated his suggestion that the two sides restore ambassadors in each other’s capitals after an eight-year hiatus that began when Chavez expelled the U.S. envoy to Venezuela. “I propose to John Kerry ‘let’s designate ambassadors’, I am ready. They have ambassadors in Beijing, Vietnam and Havana, and they don’t have one in Caracas,” he said in a speech to teachers. Maduro proposed an ambassador in 2014 but U.S. President Barack Obama has not yet accepted his credentials. Once one of Latin America’s most prosperous nations, Venezuela has plunged into unrest and a harsh economic slowdown. Long lines for food and medicines have led to protests and opposition calls for a recall referendum to remove Maduro.     That measure is allowed under the constitution, a point made by Kerry to reporters after he met Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez.  Earlier in the day, in a speech to OAS delegates, Kerry gave his backing to the referendum push and called on Chavez’s political heirs to release political prisoners and respect fundamental rights.      His comments to the 34 members of the main diplomatic body of the Americas marked the strongest show of support yet from the United States for the disputed referendum process. Venezuela’s opposition accuses the election council of stalling the recall at the behest of Maduro by arbitrarily changing criteria for requesting a recall vote. Maduro has said any recall against him would be in 2017 at the earliest, pushing back against opposition pressure. Several opposition politicians are in jail, notably hardline leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has a 14-year sentence for inciting 2014 anti-government protests that spiraled into violence killing more than 40 people. The government denies it holds political prisoners. Kerry’s comments drew a furious response from Rodriguez, who accused Washington and OAS chief Luis Almagro of “international bullying.”   “Every day we have evidence of the secretary general’s bias in favor of sectors of the opposition who are seeking a coup in Venezuela,” she said.  “I see now this is ordered by Washington. I know they are on Washington’s payroll to meddle in the domestic affairs of Venezuela,” she said, speaking through a translator.  Kerry was more conciliatory after his first ever bilateral meeting with Rodriguez, saying the United States did not support a push by Almagro to suspend Venezuela from the OAS for alleged violations of the regional group’s “democratic charter.” “The United States is not taking that position, we are not pushing for a suspension. I don’t think that would be constructive,” he said. At Almagro’s behest, the OAS will hold a meeting later this month to initiate the process that could end in Venezuela’s suspension. But the former Uruguayan foreign minister appears isolated in the group, with even right-wing governments opposed to Maduro in the region balking at throwing Venezuela out. Venezuela and the United States have repeatedly gone through periods of diplomatic fighting followed by generally short-lived eras of reconciliation.  Following Washington’s 2014 rapprochement with Cuba, Shannon met with a top Venezuelan Socialist Party official to improve ties with Caracas. The good mood soured within months when the United States criticized the sentence handed to opposition leader Lopez. politicsNews
kerry launches talks venezuela backs disputed referendumsanto domingo reuters secretary state john kerry announced talks ease tensions venezuela socialist government tuesday hours backed calls referendum could force president nicolas maduro office kerry said talks would start immediately cracks led thomas shannon veteran diplomacy region attempts last year dialogue ideological foes stalled venezuela deepening crisis the two countries embroiled diplomatic hostilities since administrations venezuela president hugo chavez president george bush kerry said goal go beyond old i committed see work let see improve relationship told reporters handling venezuela counterpart sidelines organization american states was meeting dominican republic the talks would also aimed fostering dialogue venezuela government opposition kerry said maduro welcomed proposed talks repeated suggestion two sides restore ambassadors capitals hiatus began chavez expelled envoy venezuela i propose john kerry let designate ambassadors i ready they ambassadors beijing vietnam having one cracks said speech teachers maduro proposed ambassador president barack obama yet accepted credentials once one latin america prosperous nations venezuela plunged unrest harsh economic slowdown long lines food medicines led protests opposition calls recall referendum remove maduro that measure allowed constitution point made kerry reporters met venezuela foreign minister delay rodriguez earlier day speech was delegates kerry gave backing referendum push called chavez political heirs release political prisoners respect fundamental rights his comments members main diplomatic body americas marked strongest show support yet united states disputed referendum process venezuela opposition accuses election council stalling recall behest maduro arbitrarily changing criteria requesting recall vote maduro said recall would earliest pushing back opposition pressure several opposition politicians jail notably hardline leader leopoldo lopez sentence inciting protests spiral violence killing people the government denies holds political prisoners kerry comments drew furious response rodriguez accused washington was chief luis almagro international every day evidence secretary general bias favor sectors opposition seeking coup venezuela said i see ordered washington i know washington payroll middle domestic affairs venezuela said speaking translator kerry conciliatory first ever bilateral meeting rodriguez saying united states support push almagro suspend venezuela was alleged violations regional group democratic the united states taking position pushing suspension i think would constructive said at almagro behest was hold meeting later month initiate process could end venezuela suspension but former uruguay foreign minister appears isolated group even governments opposed maduro region talking throwing venezuela venezuela united states repeatedly gone periods diplomatic fighting followed generally eras reconciliation following washington rapprochement cuba shannon met top venezuela socialist party official improve ties cracks the good mood sourced within months united states criticized sentence handed opposition leader lopez politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Kerry launches talks with Venezuela but backs disputed referendumSANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced high-level talks to ease tensions with Venezuela’s socialist government on Tuesday, just hours after he backed calls for a referendum that could force President Nicolas Maduro from office.   Kerry said the talks would start immediately in Caracas and be led by Thomas Shannon, a veteran of U.S. diplomacy in the region. Attempts last year at dialogue between the ideological foes were stalled by Venezuela’s deepening crisis. The two countries have been embroiled in diplomatic hostilities since the administrations of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and U.S. President George W. Bush. Kerry said the goal was to go beyond “the old rhetoric.” “I’ve committed to see if this can work so let’s see if we can improve the relationship,” he told reporters, after huddling with his Venezuelan counterpart on the sidelines of an Organization of American States (OAS) meeting in the Dominican Republic. The talks would also be aimed at fostering dialogue between Venezuela’s government and opposition, Kerry said. Maduro welcomed the proposed talks and repeated his suggestion that the two sides restore ambassadors in each other’s capitals after an eight-year hiatus that began when Chavez expelled the U.S. envoy to Venezuela. “I propose to John Kerry ‘let’s designate ambassadors’, I am ready. They have ambassadors in Beijing, Vietnam and Havana, and they don’t have one in Caracas,” he said in a speech to teachers. Maduro proposed an ambassador in 2014 but U.S. President Barack Obama has not yet accepted his credentials. Once one of Latin America’s most prosperous nations, Venezuela has plunged into unrest and a harsh economic slowdown. Long lines for food and medicines have led to protests and opposition calls for a recall referendum to remove Maduro.     That measure is allowed under the constitution, a point made by Kerry to reporters after he met Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez.  Earlier in the day, in a speech to OAS delegates, Kerry gave his backing to the referendum push and called on Chavez’s political heirs to release political prisoners and respect fundamental rights.      His comments to the 34 members of the main diplomatic body of the Americas marked the strongest show of support yet from the United States for the disputed referendum process. Venezuela’s opposition accuses the election council of stalling the recall at the behest of Maduro by arbitrarily changing criteria for requesting a recall vote. Maduro has said any recall against him would be in 2017 at the earliest, pushing back against opposition pressure. Several opposition politicians are in jail, notably hardline leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has a 14-year sentence for inciting 2014 anti-government protests that spiraled into violence killing more than 40 people. The government denies it holds political prisoners. Kerry’s comments drew a furious response from Rodriguez, who accused Washington and OAS chief Luis Almagro of “international bullying.”   “Every day we have evidence of the secretary general’s bias in favor of sectors of the opposition who are seeking a coup in Venezuela,” she said.  “I see now this is ordered by Washington. I know they are on Washington’s payroll to meddle in the domestic affairs of Venezuela,” she said, speaking through a translator.  Kerry was more conciliatory after his first ever bilateral meeting with Rodriguez, saying the United States did not support a push by Almagro to suspend Venezuela from the OAS for alleged violations of the regional group’s “democratic charter.” “The United States is not taking that position, we are not pushing for a suspension. I don’t think that would be constructive,” he said. At Almagro’s behest, the OAS will hold a meeting later this month to initiate the process that could end in Venezuela’s suspension. But the former Uruguayan foreign minister appears isolated in the group, with even right-wing governments opposed to Maduro in the region balking at throwing Venezuela out. Venezuela and the United States have repeatedly gone through periods of diplomatic fighting followed by generally short-lived eras of reconciliation.  Following Washington’s 2014 rapprochement with Cuba, Shannon met with a top Venezuelan Socialist Party official to improve ties with Caracas. The good mood soured within months when the United States criticized the sentence handed to opposition leader Lopez. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: kerry launches talks venezuela backs disputed referendumsanto domingo reuters secretary state john kerry announced talks ease tensions venezuela socialist government tuesday hours backed calls referendum could force president nicolas maduro office kerry said talks would start immediately cracks led thomas shannon veteran diplomacy region attempts last year dialogue ideological foes stalled venezuela deepening crisis the two countries embroiled diplomatic hostilities since administrations venezuela president hugo chavez president george bush kerry said goal go beyond old i committed see work let see improve relationship told reporters handling venezuela counterpart sidelines organization american states was meeting dominican republic the talks would also aimed fostering dialogue venezuela government opposition kerry said maduro welcomed proposed talks repeated suggestion two sides restore ambassadors capitals hiatus began chavez expelled envoy venezuela i propose john kerry let designate ambassadors i ready they ambassadors beijing vietnam having one cracks said speech teachers maduro proposed ambassador president barack obama yet accepted credentials once one latin america prosperous nations venezuela plunged unrest harsh economic slowdown long lines food medicines led protests opposition calls recall referendum remove maduro that measure allowed constitution point made kerry reporters met venezuela foreign minister delay rodriguez earlier day speech was delegates kerry gave backing referendum push called chavez political heirs release political prisoners respect fundamental rights his comments members main diplomatic body americas marked strongest show support yet united states disputed referendum process venezuela opposition accuses election council stalling recall behest maduro arbitrarily changing criteria requesting recall vote maduro said recall would earliest pushing back opposition pressure several opposition politicians jail notably hardline leader leopoldo lopez sentence inciting protests spiral violence killing people the government denies holds political prisoners kerry comments drew furious response rodriguez accused washington was chief luis almagro international every day evidence secretary general bias favor sectors opposition seeking coup venezuela said i see ordered washington i know washington payroll middle domestic affairs venezuela said speaking translator kerry conciliatory first ever bilateral meeting rodriguez saying united states support push almagro suspend venezuela was alleged violations regional group democratic the united states taking position pushing suspension i think would constructive said at almagro behest was hold meeting later month initiate process could end venezuela suspension but former uruguay foreign minister appears isolated group even governments opposed maduro region talking throwing venezuela venezuela united states repeatedly gone periods diplomatic fighting followed generally eras reconciliation following washington rapprochement cuba shannon met top venezuela socialist party official improve ties cracks the good mood sourced within months united states criticized sentence handed opposition leader lopez politicsnews