The Venezuelan government and the opposition coalition agreed Tuesday to hold formal talks in a bid to end weeks of violent unrest that has left 39 dead and over 600 injured.

The talks, expected to begin Thursday, will focus on Venezuela's high crime rate and economic problems, Venezuelan Vice-president Jorge Arreaza said.

"We're not trying to convince the opposition to become 'Chavistas' nor are they trying to convince us to abandon the path of the revolution and socialism," he stated.

The agreement made at Tuesday's meeting was proposed by visiting Union on South American nations (UNASUR) foreign ministers. It is the first step toward ending the unrest, which erupted in February when anti-government protestors took to the streets over crime, inflation and food shortages, and called for President Nicolas Maduro's resignation.

Maduro commented later in his usual radio program that the meeting with the opposition coalition representatives paves the way for a respectful political dialogue.

He also insisted in the meeting that there needs to be coexistence and tolerance between both sides in a heavily polarized country.

The opposition's Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD)'s leader Ramon Guillermo Aveledo said the opposition coalition would ensure that the dialogue is carried out under equal terms and broadcast to the whole country for transparency.

In his statement to the press, Aveledo said "respect" to the Constitution will be a key element of the talks.