Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said he would support early parliamentary elections as part of a bid to solve the political crisis in the country, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.
"It would be very good to conduct parliamentary elections at an earlier stage. It would be a good form of political discussion," Maduro told the Russian state news agency in an interview in Caracas.
The conciliatory tone follows more than a week of brinkmanship between Maduro and self-declared president Juan Guaido who has gained the backing of the United States in his attempt to wrest power from the 56-year-old leader.
However Guaido, in an interview with the German newspaper Bild on Wednesday, said he wanted more sanctions from the European Union.
On Tuesday, Venezuela's supreme tribunal of justice barred Guaido from leaving the country and froze his bank accounts.
The 35-year-old is accused of causing harm to peace in the country. Maikel Moreno, the court president, said Guaido would be unable to travel until an inquiry was completed into his actions.
The move came after the US State Department revealed that Guaido has been handed control of Venezuela's US bank accounts.
Guaido sent a message on social media warning that the regime was in its final stage.
"You shouldn't sacrifice yourselves for the usurper and his gang," he added.
