Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, on 8 June with a ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
The two discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, specifically in the fields of energy, tourism, agriculture and technology.
Following a closed-door meeting, Erdogan announced that trade between the two nations will hit $1 billion this year. He also praised the friendship between Ankara and Caracas, and spoke out against the US economic war being waged against the Latin American nation.
Erdogan called Venezuela a “very important partner in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
“We are friends in bad times,” he said. “We have an exemplary friendship.”
The Turkish leader also spoke about the endurance of Venezuela in the face of many economic embargoes.
“In overcoming them, the President Hugo’s brave and courageous leadership has made a great contribution, as did Simon Bolivar and Hugo Chavez.”
Erdogan also said Venezuela’s “stance in relation to the Palestinian issue is very much appreciated.”
Maduro’s trip to the Turkish capital coincided with a visit by the Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov, a key ally of Caracas. No information has been released on whether Lavrov and Maduro met.
Following his meeting with Erdogan, Nicolas Maduro set off to Algeria, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane.
Arribamos a suelo de la República Argelina Democrática y Popular, para cumplir una agenda de actividades que ratifican nuestro compromiso con la construcción del mundo multicéntrico y pluripolar. Gracias a esta Patria amiga y hermana por abrirnos sus puertas. pic.twitter.com/6By6nRPvXT
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 9, 2022
The Venezuelan leader will meet with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss matters regarding the Western Sahara, energy cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Iranian media has revealed that, after his visit to Algeria, Maduro will travel to the Islamic Republic to meet with high officials.
Maduro set off for the regional tour after the government of Joe Biden arbitrarily excluded Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua from the Summit of the Americas, taking place in the US.
In response to the unilateral ban, the presidents of Mexico, Honduras, Bolivia, and of 14 Caribbean states announced they would not attend the summit, in protest of Washington’s divisive attitude towards the region.