The Daily Journal — The governments of Turkey and Venezuela agreed to deepen economic and commercial cooperation during a meeting held Monday between Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office in Istanbul.
According to the Turkish Presidency, both sides reviewed mechanisms to expand bilateral trade and move toward a target of $3 billion in commercial exchange, one of the main objectives of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Current trade amounts to only one-sixth of that goal. Bilateral trade reached $448 million in 2025, including $251 million in Turkish imports from Venezuela and $197 million in exports to the South American nation.
The meeting took place as part of Rodríguez’s international tour. It included senior Turkish officials, among them Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Energy, Industry, and Trade.
According to information released by the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan expressed Ankara’s willingness to continue strengthening ties with Venezuela and to expand cooperation in areas both countries consider strategic, particularly in trade, energy, and mining.
Rodríguez, for her part, emphasized that Venezuela is moving “toward economic diversification,” presenting itself to the international community not only as an energy powerhouse with vast reserves, but also as a country with significant potential in other sectors.
“Venezuela is an energy powerhouse, but we want the world to recognize us not only for our vast energy reserves, but also for the enormous opportunities we offer to diversify our economy and for the tremendous potential our country possesses,” the acting president said.
Rodríguez also announced that Venezuela will host the Fifth Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation with Turkey next November.
Turkey has become one of Venezuela’s leading partners outside the region. The relationship spans trade in minerals and energy products, as well as industrial, financial, and food-sector agreements.
Based on a press release.
