Venezuela's acting president visits Turkey, focusing on oil and cooperation

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has arrived in Turkey, marking the latest stop on an international tour centered on bolstering the nation's oil exports and expanding cooperation in various sectors. The trip, which began in India, also seeks to forge partnerships in health, transportation, science, technology, and renewable energy.

Rodríguez was received by Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, along with other Turkish officials and Venezuela's diplomatic corps. The state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) broadcast images of the welcome ceremony. The specific agenda and duration of her stay in Turkey were not immediately detailed.

During her visit to India, Rodríguez highlighted the resurgence of Venezuelan oil sales to the Indian market. She presented the tour as the beginning of a wider collaboration, emphasizing efforts to meet the needs of the Venezuelan people in areas such as public health, transport, science, and technology, alongside energy complementarity and renewables.

Venezuela has recently re-emerged as a significant oil supplier to India. Data indicates Venezuela is now among India's top crude suppliers, ranking fourth in April and May according to consultancy Kpler. This renewed engagement in oil markets has been partly enabled by the recent easing of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela.