Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez solidified her new government on Feb. 2, appointing several cabinet members and meeting with Washington's new top diplomat in Caracas to address the country's "transition" after the ouster of Nicolas Maduro.
Laura Dogu, Washington's charge d'affaires in Venezuela, said on X she spoke with Rodriguez about U.S. plans for "stabilization, economic recovery, reconciliation and transition."
It was not immediately clear what Dogu meant by a "transition." Maduro had been in power since 2013 until U.S. forces raided the country and captured him, but much of his government remains in place.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said after the meeting the diplomatic focus going forward would involve "addressing the differences and historical controversies between the United States and Venezuela."
"We reviewed the common agenda, especially on energy, trade, and politics," he added.
In addition to meeting with Dogu, Rodriguez made several key appointments to her presidential cabinet, including tapping former foreign minister Felix Plasencia to lead Venezuela's diplomatic mission in the United States.
"Very soon we'll have our diplomatic representative, Felix Plasencia, in Washington to accelerate diplomatic work, political work, and the work of developing our common agenda," Gil said.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meanwhile told reporters during a video call on Feb. 2 that she would be willing to meet with Rodriguez "if it's necessary" in order to establish a "transition timeline."
"If it's necessary to exchange ideas in a meeting to define a transition timeline, it will happen," she said.
