Venezuela Delegation in New York Pursues Debt, Energy and Mining Deals

A Venezuelan delegation led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez began talks in New York on Monday on energy, debt and mining issues with US and multilateral counterparts, as the country seeks to rebuild key industries and regain access to overseas assets and financing.

Rodriguez, who arrived in the city early on Monday with her team, held separate meetings with Inter American Development Bank President Ilan Goldfajn, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President Ajay Banga, according to state television and sources. One source said the visit would focus heavily on debt restructuring, funds and payments.

Venezuela announced in May that it would begin restructuring its sovereign debt and that of state oil company PDVSA, estimated by most analysts at between $150 billion and $200 billion. Last month, legal and financial advisers launched a committee to bring together companies with outstanding claims against Venezuela ahead of the planned restructuring, aiming to coordinate creditors' participation and secure representation in negotiations.

Goldfajn said the IDB is drawing up a two-year engagement plan for Venezuela focused partly on electricity and social protection, including missions to examine the country's macroeconomic framework and data and to estimate investment needs across sectors. Georgieva said the IMF talks centred on earthquake recovery and reconstruction.

Separately, the Venezuelan government and a faction of the opposition are nearing a deal to move some $4 billion in gold from the Bank of England to the US, sources said earlier this month.

Rodriguez's trip is her first to the US since taking office as interim president in January under Washington's oversight, following the capture of then President Nicolas Maduro by US forces. The top US diplomat in Venezuela, John Barrett, received her at the airport, state television said. She later met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss economic reforms, debt restructuring, dialogue initiatives and UN-Venezuela cooperation, including on human rights and the path toward full democracy, the UN said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Felix Plasencia met UK officials to discuss democratic transition, human rights and recovery efforts after this year's earthquakes, according to UK minister for the Americas Chris Elmore. Plasencia later held talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Pablo Segura, who said on X that US companies can continue to power Venezuela's economic recovery, help restore investor confidence and deliver jobs and energy dominance for the American people.

Venezuelan ministers and top officials advanced negotiations for months ahead of the trip. Rodriguez is scheduled to meet Trump on Tuesday on the sidelines of a reception hosted by the US President, according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. Venezuela's Foreign Affairs and Information ministries did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Some Venezuela-owned buildings in New York that had been shut for years, including a consulate and the office of the country's UN mission, have recently been renovated for reopening, according to media reports. The meeting between Rodriguez and IDB officials, attended by oil minister Paula Henao, was held at the UN mission's building.

Henao, Mining Minister Hector Silva and top PDVSA officials took part this month in a G20 energy conference in Houston, where a memorandum of understanding was signed with US oil producer Continental Resources for an area in Venezuela's main output region, the Orinoco Belt. A separate contract granted US investment firm Heeney Capital operational and export rights for a gold mine. Another preliminary agreement has been under negotiation for months with US energy major ExxonMobil, which could ultimately lead to its return to Venezuela's oilfields, sources said this month.