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Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez arrived in the United States on Monday ahead of her appearance at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and a scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
Rodriguez’s visit marks the first attendance by a Venezuelan head of state at the annual gathering since former president Nicolas Maduro was captured in a US military raid in January.
Maduro is awaiting trial on drug trafficking and other charges in a federal prison in New York. Rodriguez, who served as his vice president, became interim leader after his ouster.
Venezuelan state television reported that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received Rodriguez at the United Nations.
Speaking to state broadcaster VTV afterwards, Rodriguez said she had travelled to the UN to pursue peace, stability, human development and greater global balance.
“We come…seeking humanity’s common destiny: peace, stability, human development, and global balance of all kinds,” Rodriguez said.
Washington said Trump would meet Rodriguez for the first time on Tuesday. She is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Relations between Caracas and Washington have shifted significantly under Rodriguez, who has cooperated with several demands from the Trump administration.
Her government has granted the United States access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, which are the world’s largest.
Under a recent agreement announced by the two countries, the United States will gain control of about one-fifth of Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Rodriguez also met on Monday with senior officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
The multilateral lenders have resumed ties with Venezuela in recent months.
