Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Wednesday with Venezuela’s “acting President” Delcy Rodríguez and other senior regime officials in Caracas, marking the highest-level foreign visit to the country since the January 3 U.S. operation that resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Al Thani arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday and was received at Simón Bolívar International Airport by Foreign Minister Yván Gil. While neither government has publicly disclosed the full details of the Qatari leader’s agenda, Venezuelan state outlets described the trip as part of a broader effort to strengthen diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two nations.
On Wednesday, Al Thani met Rodríguez at the Miraflores presidential palace, where officials reportedly reviewed existing bilateral agreements and discussed expanding cooperation in key sectors, including energy and commerce. Rodríguez previously traveled to Qatar in April 2025, where she held talks aimed at deepening technological and commercial ties.
The visit comes at a pivotal moment for Venezuela. Following Maduro’s arrest, Rodríguez assumed leadership of the socialist regime as it navigates negotiations with the United States and works to stabilize the country’s economy. Qatar has publicly expressed willingness to serve as a mediator between Caracas and Washington, drawing on its experience brokering dialogue in other international disputes.
In the aftermath of Maduro’s arrest, Venezuelan oil sales resumed under a new framework coordinated with U.S. authorities. Early revenues from those transactions were temporarily deposited in a U.S.-controlled account in Qatar before being shifted to a U.S. Treasury account. The arrangement was reportedly designed to shield funds from potential legal claims by creditors while a longer-term financial mechanism was established.
Qatar’s involvement has drawn attention not only because of its diplomatic positioning but also because of its ongoing engagement with Venezuelan leadership even as the regime transitions. Maduro himself visited Doha in 2022, meeting with Al Thani to discuss energy and strategic cooperation.
Meanwhile, Australia and other international political developments continue to reshape global alignments, with governments recalibrating their approaches to diplomacy, sanctions, and economic partnerships.
For Caracas, the Qatari prime minister’s visit signals that despite political upheaval and mounting international scrutiny, the regime retains influential foreign partners willing to engage at the highest levels. For Doha, it reinforces its growing role as a geopolitical intermediary operating between rival powers in moments of crisis.
