Nicolás Maduro's Son to Handle Parliamentary Relations with Japan

Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of Venezuela's former president, has been appointed to spearhead parliamentary relations between Venezuela and Japan for the upcoming year. The unicameral National Assembly (AN) announced Tuesday that Maduro Guerra, who previously chaired the Venezuela-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group last year, will be accompanied by ruling party deputy José Villarroel.

This appointment comes as Venezuela's parliament establishes various friendship groups to foster international ties. Blanca Eekhout, another ruling party deputy, was named president of the Venezuela-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship Group. Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Argentina were severed in 2024 under the previous Maduro government. Meanwhile, an opposition deputy will lead the Venezuela-Canada group, with ruling party member Pedro Lander serving as vice president.

Pedro Infante, the second-highest-ranking official in the AN, urged all appointed deputies to promptly engage with their parliamentary counterparts in Japan, Argentina, and Canada. Beyond these nations, the AN also finalized the leadership for friendship groups with 19 other countries, many of which are located in Asia, such as Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

These diplomatic efforts follow recent moves to re-establish ties with the United States. In May, Venezuelan deputies formed a parliamentary friendship group aimed at reviving relations with the U.S. Congress and promoting commercial and energy agendas. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were restored in March after a seven-year rupture, according to opposition deputy Antonio Ecarri, who chairs the relevant commission.

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activate 'now' the relations with the Parliaments of those countries.