Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sought fresh talks with the opposition and endorsed local elections as he braces for further protests planned Monday, the BBC reports. Calls for early presidential elections and Maduro’s resignation have resounded through weeks of political unrest in Venezuela, which is in the midst of an economic crisis and enduring shortages of food, basic goods, and medicine. Speaking on his TV program Sunday, Maduro endorsed elections for mayors and state governors — the latter of which had been scheduled for last December — but he did not acknowledge demonstrators’ calls to bring forward the presidential elections, which are due next year. “Elections — yes, I want elections now,” said Maduro, referring to local elections, “That is what I say as the head of state, and as the head of government.” This month, more than 20 people have died in Venezuela’s political unrest, according to Agence France-Presse, including 12 people in the capital Caracas on Friday.