VENEZUELA’S Interim President Delcy Rodriguez met with the United States Secretary of the Interior in Caracas on Wednesday to discuss co-operation on minerals and energy.

Doug Burgum was joined in Caracas by a delegation of business executives keen to make money from Venezuela’s rich mineral resources.

During a joint press conference, the interim president announced that she would be proposing an expansion of the country’s Mining Law to the Venezuelan National Assembly, a key step to attract investment in what she described as a “win-win” formula. 

This new legislation aims to ensure that investments in Venezuela not only generate profits for companies but also contribute to social wellbeing, the care and social protection of the Venezuelan people, and investment in the country’s infrastructure.

Ms Rodriguez said: “The Venezuelan government is ready to address, through co-operation channels, concrete agendas that benefit both the people of the United States and the people of Venezuela.”

Secretary Burgum said he was satisfied with the collaboration with Venezuela and said the opportunities for co-operation and synergy between the two countries are “limitless” and have “truly amazing” potential for both peoples. 

He said: “Venezuela is an extremely rich country; it contains large reserves not only of oil and gas, but also of critical minerals.”