The first Latin American Pope made his first comments about the strife in Venezuela, calling for an end to the violence in the country and in support of reconciliation via dialogue.  President Nicolas Maduro tried to ease tensions by inviting opposition, business, and church leaders to a peace summit on Wednesday.

“I am following with particular apprehension what is occurring these days in Venezuela.  I support an end to the violence and hostilities as soon as possible and, above all, for the Venezuelan people, starting with the politicians and institutions, to come to reconciliation,” said Pope Francis during his weekly General Audience at the Vatican.

The message was relayed to President Maduro during a peace conference in Caracas.  But as opposition leaders boycotted the peace talks as a government photo-op, business leaders pleaded their case with President Maduro.

“The country is sick, Mr. President,” Jorge Roig, the head of the country’s main business chamber, told Maduro during the nationally televised conference.  He defended the protesters' grievances and criticized what he called the government’s “failed” economic model.

At least 13 people have died in protest-related violence.

Both sides accused the other of running out of steam. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles said the Bolivarian Socialist government started by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez was “on its last legs” and “set on a self-destructive course.”

On a visit to Bolivia, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua insisted, “We aren’t saying that there are no problems in Venezuela; of course there are.  But they are not the cause of the protests.  The cause is the same groups that 15 years ago tried to oust Hugo Chavez and now they tried to do it to Maduro.”

This weekend is the beginning of Carnival across Latin America, and could be a big test – are the protests fatiguing, and does Venezuela feel like dancing?