By Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States relationship with Venezuela is “very good” and that he plans to visit the country.
Trump’s praise for Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, follows the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, and comes as the Trump administration is trying to boost oil deals in the country.
“I’m going to make a visit to Venezuela,” Trump told reporters at the White House, although he did not share any additional details.
“We have a very good relationship with the president of Venezuela,” Trump said, noting the United States is “working together very closely” with Rodriguez on access to oil.
“The relationship we have right now with Venezuela I would say is a 10,” Trump added.
Asked by Reuters if he will recognize Rodriguez as the official government, Trump responded, “Yeah, we have done that. We are dealing with them, and really right now they have done a great job.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the official U.S. stance towards Rodriguez’s government has changed.
Trump administration officials in recent weeks made clear that the U.S. did not recognize Rodriguez’s interim government as legitimate.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in Venezuela on Thursday said Rodriguez is the “interim president” working with the United States.
Wright, in a CNN interview, said the U.S. will not “tell Delcy what her future role” is in potential future elections, calling that decision up to the Venezuelan people.
For her part, Rodriguez, in an NBC News interview this week, called Maduro the “legitimate president” of Venezuela.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson; additional reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Michelle Nichols, William Maclean)
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