Caracas: Venezuela’s interim government on Monday said it is ready to pursue a “new agenda” with the European Union and Britain, signalling a shift in foreign policy following the ouster of former president Nicolas Maduro.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said Caracas was open to “opening channels of dialogue” with the EU, which had refused to recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader and had imposed sanctions on his inner circle while backing the opposition.
“We are ready to advance a new, intense work agenda for the wellbeing of… all the people of Europe and of Venezuela,” Gil said in a televised address from the Miraflores presidential palace.
Talks With European Envoys
The announcement came after talks between European envoys and interim president Delcy Rodríguez, alongside senior members of her cabinet. According to Gil, discussions focused on key areas including energy, education, science, technology and pharmaceuticals.
He described the meeting as “frank, cordial and pleasant,” suggesting a more constructive tone after years of strained relations between Caracas and European capitals.
The European Union had previously sanctioned Maduro’s inner circle, openly supported the opposition and pushed for the inclusion of opposition leader María Corina Machado in Venezuela’s political transition.
Diplomatic Thaw After Years of Tension
The meeting also comes just three days after Caracas and Washington announced steps toward restoring diplomatic ties, which had been severed in 2019.
In 2025, during the height of tensions, Maduro ordered France, the Netherlands and Italy to reduce their diplomatic staff in Venezuela to just three people each.
Rodríguez, formerly Maduro’s vice president, assumed leadership of the interim government after a US bombing raid on Caracas on January 3 led to Maduro’s capture and transfer to New York, where he is facing drug-trafficking charges.
The latest outreach to Europe and the UK suggests Venezuela’s new leadership is seeking international re-engagement and economic cooperation after years of isolation.