President Donald Trump held a meeting with Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s interim leader, during the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. This marks their first in-person encounter, as confirmed by the White House.
Rodriguez, who was set to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, is the first Venezuelan head of state to visit since deposed president Nicolas Maduro was captured in a US military raid in January. No further details of the meeting were immediately available. Rodriguez was Venezuela’s vice president under Maduro, but has thus far cooperated with Washington’s demands, including granting US access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Trump mentioned Venezuela during his address at the UN on Tuesday, saying: “When you add the United States and Venezuela together, we have more than 60 percent of the oil in the world.
Several US officials attended the meeting in addition to Trump, a White House official said, including top advisor Stephen Miller, chief of staff Susie Wiles, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “To the victor belong the spoils,” he added.
