US President Donald Trump will meet with the interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez in New York on Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing a senior US official. This will be their first personal meeting since Washington removed Nicolas Maduro from power in January, the agency wrote.
According to information from Reuters and the AP, the conversation is being prepared on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Walz confirmed that it was a more informal format, described as a short conversation on the sidelines, rather than a formal bilateral meeting.
First contact since the change of power in Caracas
According to Reuters, the meeting comes against the backdrop of the new political situation in Venezuela following the removal of Maduro and the elevation of Rodriguez as interim head of state. The AP also reported that the White House confirmed the planned conversation after publications about a possible meeting of the head of the Venezuelan delegation in New York.
The Venezuelan side has not publicly commented on the details of the agenda. It is not yet clear whether the meeting will lead to concrete decisions on relations between Washington and Caracas, including sanctions and energy issues, which have traditionally been at the center of contacts between the two countries.
Rodriguez is among the closest allies of the former Venezuelan government and has been a key figure for months in the transition, described by American and international media as tense and politically delicate. The expected meeting with Trump is the first visible signal of direct contact between the new leadership in Caracas and the White House.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, White House