Venezuelan President Rodríguez meets Erdoğan in Istanbul

Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul on Monday, marking a significant step in Caracas's diplomatic outreach following the removal of former leader Nicolás Maduro. The unannounced visit focused on deepening bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, and mining, sectors central to the long-standing partnership between the two nations.

The leaders held one-on-one and delegation-level talks at Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Palace, where Erdoğan reaffirmed Turkey's support for Venezuela. A statement from the Turkish presidency said Erdoğan emphasized his country's determination to advance cooperation across multiple fields. The discussions also addressed concrete steps to increase bilateral trade, which totaled $448 million in 2025, to a shared target of $3 billion.

Rodríguez's visit to Turkey is part of her first major international tour since U.S. forces captured Maduro in January. She arrived in Istanbul after a visit to India last week, where she also discussed energy and trade ties. Her itinerary signals a Venezuelan effort to strengthen economic and diplomatic relationships with non-Western partners. The delegation...