The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, arrived in Venezuela on a visit deemed strategic to advance plans for revitalizing the oil industry in that Caribbean country under the vision of President Donald Trump.
The United States embassy in Venezuela shared a welcome message for Wright on social media, highlighting that his visit is crucial for advancing the vision of a prosperous Venezuela driven by the American private sector, which will be essential for boosting the oil sector, modernizing the electric grid, and unlocking Venezuela's vast potential, according to the official statement from the diplomatic representation.
The journalist Annmarie Hordern published on her X profile that she has just landed in Venezuela along with Secretary Wright and noted that he is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Hordern also released a video of his arrival, emphasizing the political and economic significance of the trip.
This Wednesday, February 11, Venezuela welcomed the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Christopher Wright, the Deputy Minister for Oil, Paula Henao Vera, and the Deputy Minister for Europe and North America of the Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Relations, Andrea Corao Faría, as part of the review of the work agenda.
Wright's agenda in Caracas will include meetings with Venezuelan authorities and representatives from the energy sector to discuss strategies for the recovery and development of the oil industry, according to information released by the U.S. embassy.
This visit comes at a time of transition and change in Venezuela, where plans to reactivate energy production have taken center stage as part of efforts to rebuild a key sector for the national economy.
Washington reactivates high-level presence in Caracas
The United States Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, is already in Caracas on a visit that marks the highest-level U.S. official to visit in recent years, according to El Tiempo.
According to that outlet, Wright was welcomed at Maiquetía Airport by the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States in Venezuela, Laura Dogu, as well as by Deputy Ministers Paula Henao, of Petroleum, and Andrea Corao, of Foreign Affairs.
The official is scheduled to have a working lunch with representatives from the business sector at the JW Marriott hotel in Caracas and will then travel to the Palace of Miraflores to meet with Delcy Rodríguez and her ministers. The day will include joint statements.
On Thursday, the delegation is scheduled to travel to the state of Monagas to visit the Petroindependencia Processing Center, with tours of the processing facilities and a drilling rig at Pad 4.
There is also a visit planned to the Petropiar upgrader in Barcelona, which includes the control room and the hydroprocessing unit.
El Tiempo recalled that since 2010, following the expulsion of the American ambassador Patrick Duddy, Washington has maintained only chargé d'affaires in Caracas.
In 2019, James Story was expelled after the Donald Trump administration recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president. The last visit by a U.S. president to Caracas occurred in 1997 when Bill Clinton traveled to the country.
In statements made to the media Politico, Wright indicated that he plans to meet with Delcy Rodríguez and tour oil fields. When asked whether the capture of Nicolás Maduro was related to oil resources, he denied it and stated that it was a geopolitical matter.
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