Rodríguez promises legal certainty to investors while Machado competes for attention from Texas
Rodríguez’s appearance came one day before Nicolás Maduro’s hearing at a New York court
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, participated via videoconference on Wednesday at the FII Priority investment forum in Miami, where she assured American, Saudi, and Latin American investors that her government is advancing reforms to guarantee legal certainty for investments in the country.
It is important that investors know that, regardless of political transitions or restrictive contexts, there are laws in Venezuela that allow a serious return on their investments, Rodríguez said from Caracas. She highlighted an ongoing reform process aimed at diversifying the economy beyond hydrocarbons, with growth in sectors such as construction, banking, mining, and manufacturing.
Rodríguez cited the recently enacted hydrocarbons law and the introduction of national and international arbitration mechanisms for dispute resolution. She also directed a message to President Donald Trump, expressing gratitude for both governments’ willingness to build a constructive bilateral diplomatic agenda after years of strained relations.
Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado spoke from Houston at the CERAWeek energy conference, where she also courted investors and pledged that Venezuela would honor its contracts if fair and free presidential elections are held. Machado proposed creating an independent body to manage hydrocarbons without state intervention.
Rodríguez’s appearance came one day before Nicolás Maduro’s hearing at a New York court, where he faces trial following his capture by the United States on January 3 along with his wife Cilia Flores. Rodríguez made no reference to the circumstances of her rise to power following the U.S. military operation.
This week, a Venezuelan diplomatic delegation led by Félix Plasencia will travel to Washington to establish a permanent presence, Rodríguez announced. He will serve as the counterpart to U.S. envoy Laura Dogu, who has been stationed in Caracas for nearly two months.
The FII Priority forum, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and known as the Davos of the desert, expects President Trump’s participation on Friday.
