The Vatican has been asked to mediate between factions in Venezuela to bring the country back together. 

The Roman Catholic Church has been invited to promote conversations between Venezuela's feuding government and opposition.

The request comes as Venezuela is stuck in an economic crisis, with President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government locked in a standoff with the Democratic Unity opposition coalition.

Speaking to Reuters former Colombian president Ernesto Samper, who heads the UNASUR bloc of South American states, said it was good news both sides want to talk.

He said: "It will enrich us spiritually and, hopefully, politically."

In 2015 the opposition won control of the legislature and it is wants to remove President Maduro, who it blames for recession, inflation and product shortages.

The president has argued that the opposition is planning a coup and the government-sympathetic Supreme Court has dismissed most laws that the legislative body has tried to bring in.

The Holy See has played mediator before in fragile diplomatic situations, towards the end of 2015 Pope Francis had a hand in softening relations between the USA and Cuba.

The two countries had not had a relationship since the Cold War.