Venezuela’s Maduro visits Saudi Arabia

The visit seeks to strengthen Venezuela's international productive agenda, president says

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, as the kingdom continues to expand its diplomatic outreach beyond traditional Western alliances.

Maduro was received at the airport of the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah by Deputy Governor of Mecca region Prince Badr bin Sultan and other officials, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

“We are in Saudi Arabia to continue with our productive International Labor agenda, which is advancing in the strengthening of bilateral relations of fraternity and respect between Venezuela and the world,” Maduro tweeted on Monday morning.

Venezuela’s Maduro is the latest U.S. foe to visit Saudi Arabia as the kingdom rebuilds alliances without the blessing of the United States, its long-time ally. Riyadh has restored ties with Iran and Syria over the last months and strengthened its cooperation with China and Russia.

The fellow OPEC nation had sought coordination in the past with Saudi Arabia on falling oil prices and U.S. sanctions.

Maduro’s visit comes a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken lands in Saudi Arabia for talks with the Saudi leadership.

Since taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden has eased some sanctions on Venezuela – many imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump in a “maximum pressure” campaign – to encourage dialogue. But negotiations have stalled again.

The United States says it will ease sanctions on the OPEC nation only in return for concrete steps toward free elections there.

-Reuters/Herald

Newsletter

All Right Reserved.  Buenos Aires Herald