Venezuela’s acting President Rodriguez dials PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation on Friday with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez, during which the two leaders agreed to work toward strengthening bilateral ties in the coming years, according to official statements.

The call marked the first direct engagement between New Delhi and Caracas since Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody by the United States. Rodriguez assumed the role of interim president on January 5, two days after US forces seized Maduro to face trial in New York.

Confirming the discussion, Modi wrote on X, “Spoke with Acting President of Venezuela, Ms Delcy Rodriguez.” He added that both sides had agreed “to further deepen and expand our bilateral partnership in all areas, with a shared vision of taking India-Venezuela relations to new heights in the years ahead.”

The Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders reviewed the full scope of India-Venezuela cooperation and agreed to broaden collaboration across sectors. These include trade and investment, energy, digital technology, health, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the PMO statement, Modi and Rodriguez also exchanged views on a range of regional and global developments. They highlighted the value of close coordination between their countries on issues affecting the Global South and noted the importance of continued engagement at multiple levels.

The conversation underscored India’s intent to maintain and expand its relationship with Venezuela during the ongoing political transition in the Latin American nation.