Stories
Trump Meets Venezuela's Rodriguez Amidst Oil Deals and Election Demands
- •US President Donald Trump met Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez for the first time since Nicolas Maduro's capture, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
- •The Venezuelan delegation, including the vice president of economy and oil minister, aims to make the country appear "investable" to international partners.
- •The meeting, attended by top US officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, occurred during Rodriguez's first US trip since taking office.
- •Critics argue Washington has sidelined the opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, prioritizing oil and investment deals over demands for free elections.
- •Protesters in New York demanded free elections and criticized Rodriguez's presence, chanting for her to join Maduro in jail.
Key Questions Answered
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez traveled to the US to focus on making Venezuela look investable by holding talks on energy, mining, and debt with US officials, multilateral lenders, and companies. Her delegation aimed to attract investment into the country's oil industry following her meeting with President Donald Trump.
The meeting included US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and assistant to the president Stephen Miller.
More than 50 protesters gathered outside the UN to voice opposition to Rodriguez's presence, waving Venezuelan flags and carrying signs demanding free elections. Many demonstrators expressed concern that the administration was dropping demands for elections in favor of oil and investment deals.
