NEW YORK: U.S. President Donald Trump met Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez in New York on Tuesday, marking their first face-to-face meeting since former President Nicolas Maduro was captured in a U.S. operation in January.
The meeting took place during a reception hosted by Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, as Washington and Caracas discuss energy, investment, mining and debt.
Rodriguez is visiting the United States for the first time since taking office and is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Wednesday.
A White House official said the meeting included Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Stephen Miller, the president's assistant and deputy chief of staff for policy.
Rodriguez previously served as Maduro's vice president and has developed a working relationship with the Trump administration. Her delegation includes Venezuela's vice president for the economy, the oil minister and officials from state oil company PDVSA.
Two people familiar with the delegation said Venezuelan officials are working to present the country as an attractive destination for investment.
The delegation has also held talks with U.S. officials, international lenders and companies on energy, mining and Venezuela's debt, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The talks come as the Trump administration seeks greater investment in Venezuela's oil industry. Trump has said he wants $100 billion in investment to flow into the country's energy sector.
The Inter-American Development Bank is also considering a proposed $2.5 billion loan for Venezuela, although the plan has faced opposition from some members of the lender's board.
The Trump-Rodriguez meeting has drawn criticism from Venezuelan opposition supporters who want Washington to push for free elections.
More than 50 protesters gathered outside the U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday, waving Venezuelan flags and holding signs calling for elections.
Some protesters accused the Trump administration of sidelining the opposition led by María Corina Machado while working with Rodriguez's interim government.
“On one hand, it's outrageous to see part of the regime meeting with the authorities of this country's current government, but there's also no doubt that thanks to this government, today we are one step closer to freedom,” said Miguel Eduardo Martinez, a Venezuelan who moved to the United States in 2017.
Cesar Coello, another protester, said Rodriguez had been part of Venezuela's political establishment for more than two decades. He said he hoped Trump and Rodriguez would discuss holding elections.
In his U.N. address Tuesday, Trump called Maduro an “outlaw dictator” and defended the U.S. operation that led to his capture, saying Washington would use its military power to protect its interests in the Western Hemisphere.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration deepens engagement with Venezuela's interim government while negotiations over the country's economy, oil industry and political future continue.
