Venezuela and EU move to ‘strengthen relations’ in Caracas meeting

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez received a high-level European Union delegation at the Miraflores Palace on Wednesday, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic ties between Caracas and Brussels.

The meeting with Pelayo Castro, deputy director-general for the Americas at the European External Action Service, and Maria Antonia Calvo Puerta, the EU's Charge d'Affaires in Venezuela, focused on establishing a "new phase" of bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect and sovereignty.

According to official sources, the discussions centered on laying the groundwork for productive dialogue and identifying strategic sectors for joint development. The meeting follows a proposal made in February by the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to lift sanctions against Rodriguez-a move originally suggested by Spain to facilitate diplomatic engagement.

Earlier on Wednesday, the EU representatives also met Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil to analyze various areas of technical cooperation.

"We discussed strategies to strengthen cooperation between Europe and our country, always within a framework of respect, dialogue, and mutual benefit for our peoples," Gil said.

The high-level engagement in Caracas comes as Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado continues an extensive diplomatic tour of Europe. In recent weeks, Machado has met French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten to discuss Venezuela's political future. The opposition figure is expected to arrive in Spain on Thursday.

US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in a night-time raid on Jan. 3 and brought him to New York to face allegations of drug offences.