Venezuela and Italy-Latin America Organization discuss international cooperation

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, held a meeting with Giorgio Silli, the Secretary General of the Italy-Latin America Organization (IILA), to explore avenues for international cooperation. The discussions, which took place at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, aimed to assess common ground in areas such as international cooperation, economic development, energy transition, and diplomatic ties between Venezuela, Italy, and the IILA.

According to a press release from Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting delved into the potential for strategic projects and the evaluation of joint initiatives across various sectors. Both parties also discussed technical training and institutional strengthening, key areas actively promoted by the IILA throughout Latin America. Rodríguez was joined by several Venezuelan officials, including Jannier Viloria, vice president of Gas at PDVSA, and Oliver Blanco, the vice minister for Europe and North America. Silli was accompanied by Ana Cecilia Bonilla, counselor at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This engagement follows earlier diplomatic interactions between Venezuela and Italy. In April, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met with Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Trade Johann Álvarez Márquez in Rome. During that meeting, Tajani encouraged the release of political prisoners and proposed increased trade between the two nations. That encounter occurred during the Italy-Latin America Business Forum in Prato, Italy. Earlier in January, Caracas announced an agreement with Rome to elevate their diplomatic missions to ambassadorial rank, as Italy's highest representative in Venezuela had been an interim chargé d'affaires since 2019.