United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has renewed his offer to help broker an end to the crisis in Venezuela during talks with Venezuela Foreign Minister,Jorge Arreaza in New York  yesterday as the standoff between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido hardened.<br />''<br />''The United Nations has called for serious political negotiations between the two sides to prevent a slide towards more violence in the South American country.<br />''<br />''Guaido declared himself interim president last month and has since been recognised by some 50 countries including the United States. Russia and China, however, continue to back Maduro as do some African countries, creating a global split that has left the UN in a quandary.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Venezuela is in the midst of a disastrous economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, recession and dire shortages of food and medicines.  The opposition blames Maduro for the meltdown, accusing him of corruption and of rigging elections to stay in power.</span><br />