Venezuela's acting president meets Erdogan in Istanbul

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez is set to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul today to discuss bilateral and regional matters. Rodríguez arrived in Turkey late Sunday after concluding a visit to India, where the reactivation of Indian oil purchases from Venezuela was a key focus.

The high-level meeting is scheduled for 2:30 PM GMT at the Dolmabahçe Palace, a venue often used by Erdogan for working visits with foreign leaders. Rodríguez was welcomed upon her arrival by Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, who shared images of her arrival on social media.

According to a brief statement from the Turkish presidency, the talks will cover multiple aspects of bilateral relations and explore steps to deepen cooperation. Regional current affairs will also be on the agenda, though specific details were not provided. Rodríguez's delegation includes Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil and ministers of Tourism, Science and Technology, Transport, Foreign Trade, and Communication.

Venezuela's recent engagement with India centered on increasing crude oil exports, positioning Venezuela as a significant supplier to India. While Turkey also imports oil and maintains political ties with Venezuela, imports from the South American nation currently represent a small fraction of Turkey's total oil imports.