VENEZUELA’S government and a faction of the opposition agreed on Tuesday to work together to reach a series of basic conditions for the next presidential election.

The agreement included looking at scheduling the contest for the second half of next year.

Their accord was part of a partial agreement that is expected to trigger some relief from economic sanctions imposed by the United States government on President Nicolas Maduro’s administration. 

It came just five days before the opposition holds a primary to pick its candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

The government’s representatives and the opposition’s delegates also agreed to promote various measures to update the country’s voting rolls, including establishing voter registration centres and organising registration campaigns.

Another provision calls on both sides to “promote the authorisation of all presidential candidates and political parties” to participate as long as they comply with the law.

Jorge Rodriguez, Mr Maduro’s top negotiator and head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, insisted no candidate subject to a ban, regardless of the government entity that issued it, can run for office.

He said: “If you committed a crime and were sentenced for that crime, you cannot be a candidate,” Mr Rodriguez said. 

From the start, Mr Maduro demanded that the US drop economic sanctions and unfreeze Venezuelan funds held overseas.