Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman has arrived in Venezuela on his first trip to the country since the US raid that removed President Nicolas Maduro in January.
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Foreign Minister, was greeted on Tuesday by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil at the airport in Caracas, the Venezuelan presidency said.
The visit aims to deepen diplomatic ties and strategic co-operation between Doha and Caracas, the presidency added.
“This meeting marks a significant step in the development of ties that have grown and consolidated in recent years,” it said.
The trip is Sheikh Mohammed’s first to Venezuela since 2022 and comes as Doha pushes for a mediator role between the US and the new Venezuelan government.
The Gulf state has long served as an intermediary between Washington and Caracas and aided negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.
In early January, US forces captured Mr Maduro from Caracas and took him to New York, where he faces drugs and weapons-related charges. The capture of Mr Maduro and his transfer to the US with his wife, followed by court appearances, marked one of the most dramatic developments in Venezuela’s modern history.
Qatar had expressed “deep concern” and said it was ready to help find an “immediate peaceful solution”, officials in Doha said after the January 3 operation.
Venezuela’s interim government has moved to co-operate with the US, especially on energy issues. This month, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Caracas to meet acting President Delcy Rodriguez to assess the country’s crude reserves. Mr Wright was the highest‑ranking member of the Trump administration to visit Venezuela since Mr Maduro’s removal.
On Friday, the US eased sanctions on Venezuela's energy sector, issuing two general licenses that allow global energy companies to operate oil and gas projects in the Opec member and for other companies to negotiate contracts to attract investment.
Qatar maintained friendly ties with Venezuela before Mr Maduro’s removal and hosted Ms Rodriguez last April for talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim and Sheikh Mohammed. Mr Maduro’s last visit to Qatar was in 2022.
