Threatening to bring forward parliamentary elections is the latest card played by Venezuela's regime to put pressure on the US-backed opposition at the negotiating table, analysts say.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday honored American protesters who had occupied the country's embassy in Washington for weeks in support of the beleaguered leader before being evicted by US authorities.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday announced sanctions against three of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's stepsons, a Colombian businessman and six others for running a "corruption network" that profited from emergency food imports.

The lights went out across much of Venezuela, reviving fears of the blackouts that plunged the country into chaos a few months ago as the government once again accused opponents of sabotaging the nation's hydroelectric power system.

The power in the capital went out after 4 p.m. (2000 GMT) Monday and immediately backed up traffic as stop lights and the subway stopped working during rush hour. As night fell in Caracas many were wondering how long they would be left in the dark.

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said Monday he was "optimistic" after dialogue between his government and the opposition resumed in Barbados.

Dialogue between Venezuela's opposition and President Nicolas Maduro's government will resume in Barbados, self-declared interim president Juan Guaido said on Sunday, after previous negotiations in Norway petered out.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Friday ordered the reopening of the country's border with Colombia in western Tachira state, near where international aid refused by Caracas has amassed.

Venezuela ended 2018 with inflation above 130,000 percent while its crisis-hit economy shrank by nearly half in the last five years, the central bank claimed Tuesday -- a figure far below international estimates.

At least 29 prisoners were killed and 19 police wounded in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela Friday, authorities said.

The incident at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a "massive prison break" which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido said Thursday he sent delegates to Norway to join an attempt by Oslo to mediate in the Venezuela crisis, but denied talks were underway with President Nicolas Maduro's government.