Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Nov. 11 at COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, to discuss restoring bilateral relations and expanding economic cooperation. (Foto: Instagram)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). The meeting took place in Antalya, Turkey, where the conference is being held. It was their first face-to-face meeting since Rodríguez took power in January.
Brazil’s presidential office said the two leaders expressed a willingness to work toward fully restoring bilateral relations, which have been strained since 2024 following Venezuela’s disputed presidential election. Lula also discussed economic cooperation between Brazil and Venezuela, including recent business delegations sent from Brazil to Venezuela.
The talks included the possibility of opening negotiations to revise a free trade agreement signed in 2012. According to the Brazilian government, Rodríguez proposed sending a team of negotiators to Venezuela to discuss the matter.
Rodríguez, formerly Venezuela’s vice president, became interim president after Nicolás Maduro was captured by the United States in January. Lula has spoken with her by phone at least three times since Maduro’s removal, including on Jan. 3, the day of the U.S. military operation that captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Lula called Rodríguez again in June after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. The disasters killed more than 6,000 people, according to the source. Brazil sent more than 12 tons of medicine to Venezuela and dispatched personnel to assist with searches and rescue efforts for survivors.
