Kerry to Discuss Venezuela Crisis with Mexico

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Mexico on Wednesday to discuss what role the two regional allies can take to help resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.

A senior U.S. State Department official said Kerry and Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade would talk about how they can help to keep alive stalled talks between Venezuela's socialist government and the opposition.

After three months of often violent protests, the official told reporters the Venezuelan government has "days or maybe weeks at the most" to answer to the frustrations of the opposition, or protesters could return to the streets.

"That's the fear," the official said on condition of anonymity as Kerry arrived for talks focused on increasing U.S.-Mexican education exchanges.

The opposition, which has called on the government to release anti-government demonstrators, froze the talks last week after authorities detained more than 200 student protesters.

The U.S. official said Kerry and Meade would talk about the efforts of South American nations and the Vatican that are mediating the talks.

They will also see "what more can we do from outside that process to either help it along or to be ready to do something more."

The official acknowledged that Washington has little influence on Caracas.

But the official said the United States and Mexico could work with South American nations to put pressure on the administration of President Nicolas Maduro to implement opposition demands "quickly before this really does fall apart."

A U.S. Senate panel greenlighted sanctions on Venezuelan officials responsible for violent crackdowns on protests on Tuesday, but the U.S. official said President Barack Obama's administration does not support taking such steps "right now."