ISTANBUL, Monday, June 8, 2026 (WNP): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan formally welcomed Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez with an official ceremony at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul before the two leaders held bilateral and delegation-level talks focused on expanding cooperation in trade, energy, mining and other strategic sectors.
Following the welcoming ceremony, President Erdoğan and Rodríguez led high-level discussions attended by senior Turkish officials, including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, and Chief Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
According to Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate, the meeting focused on bilateral relations between Türkiye and Venezuela as well as current global developments. President Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s support for the Venezuelan people and emphasized Türkiye’s determination to further advance cooperation with Venezuela in numerous fields, particularly trade, energy and mining.
The two sides also reviewed steps aimed at achieving the ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade volume to $3 billion. Trade between the two countries reached approximately $448 million in 2025, and both governments expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation and new investment opportunities could significantly boost economic ties.
During the talks, the leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments and discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership that has grown steadily over the past decade. Türkiye and Venezuela have maintained close relations in recent years, particularly in the areas of energy, mining, trade and investment.
Following the meeting, Rodríguez shared a video message highlighting the significance of her visit and expressing appreciation for President Erdoğan’s invitation. The video, released through the Miraflores Palace social media account, featured footage from Dolmabahçe Palace and images from the high-level talks.
“We are at Dolmabahçe Palace to meet with President Erdoğan. We aim to further advance our cooperation agenda,” Rodríguez said, noting that Türkiye and Venezuela continue to expand their economic and commercial relations in areas including mining, energy, transportation and aviation.
Rodríguez also praised the role of Turkish Airlines’ direct Caracas-Istanbul flights in bringing the two nations closer together and facilitating economic and cultural exchanges. She said both countries were exploring new opportunities for cooperation in technology, industry, science and energy with the goal of improving the well-being of their peoples.
Highlighting Venezuela’s vast natural resources, Rodríguez said her country possesses significant potential in the energy sector and remains committed to diversifying its economic capabilities while attracting international partnerships.
The visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to Türkiye-Venezuela relations as both countries seek to expand cooperation in strategic sectors and strengthen their economic partnership amid evolving global challenges.
