Venezuelans expect new opposition-led parliament to help fix economy: poll

Political conflict-weary Venezuelans want the new opposition-led parliament to stop bickering with the government and help fix the battered economy, according to a recent poll by local media.

Some 59 percent of the electorate believed the National Assembly should put political differences aside and work with the ruling socialist party to combat runaway inflation, shortages and other economic problems, said Eleazar Diaz Rangel, political analyst and director of the daily Ultimas Noticias.

The conservative opposition holds a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly after legislative elections in December.

"The great majority of those who voted for the opposition did so with the certainty that what couldn't be solved -- the problem demonstrated by long lines last year -- the National Assembly would help resolve," Diaz said in an interview Sunday with renowned journalist Jose Vicente Rangel.

"There will be more demand that both the government and the National Assembly reach an agreement, especially in the economic sector, to spur production ... which will gradually lead to resolving the economic issue and particularly the food issue," Diaz added.

Since the parliament convened in January, the opposing political factions have been locked in a power struggle, with the opposition intent on trying to dismantle government programs as well as unseat President Nicolas Maduro, and the ruling party going on the defensive.

The opposition's sweeping win was attributed to the widespread discontent with high prices and the shortage of basic goods, but political squabbling appears to have put the economy on the legislative back burner.

Legislators need to work together so "people can begin to perceive that there is a policy that is going to resolve their food and economic problems in the medium and long term," said Diaz.

The 109 opposition deputies sworn in to date, all members of the right-leaning Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), have focused their energies on a proposed National Reconciliation and Amnesty Law to get right-wing political leaders out of prison, whereas only 19 percent of the Venezuelans back the law, said Diaz.

Prospects for consensus-building have appeared dim, however, after the MUD on Sunday questioned the government's call for a national dialogue on the economy.

MUD Executive Secretary Jesus Torrealba said in an interview with privately-owned TV channel Televen that "it would seem very difficult for a government like this one to be able to make a call of this kind."

On Friday, Maduro declared a 60-day economic state of emergency, and in an address to the assembly, called on all segments of society to work toward a solution.

Venezuela's economy has been hit hard by the continuing drop of the oil price, which has reached 24 U.S. dollars a barrel. Endi