Venezuela – Turkey reaffirms bilateral ties, solidarity with Palestine

By Andreína Chávez Alava

CARACAS, (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government has signed nine cooperation agreements with Turkey to solidify the countries’ strategic partnership.

Speaking after the 4th meeting of the Turkey-Venezuela Joint Cooperation Commission held in Ankara between May 21-23, Venezuelan foreign affairs minister Yván Gil announced that the agreements aim to enhance joint initiatives in agriculture, health and medical sciences, tourism, education, aviation, trade, petrochemicals, energy and economy.

“President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and president Nicolás Maduro have built a model relationship based on solidarity, honesty and complementarity. Venezuela is the most reliable partner for Turkey in Latin America and we are working in [advancing in] this direction,” said Gil on Thursday during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

The Venezuelan minister detailed that the allied nations agreed to hold the second Turkish Export Products Fair in Venezuela on September 26-28 as part of efforts to ramp up trade from US $800 million registered in 2023 to some $3 billion by the end of this year.

Additionally, Gil announced the creation of a joint chamber of commerce and an alliance to develop the Caribbean country’s Special Economic Zones (SEZ). The SEZs are areas under exceptional rules and regulations geared towards a given economic activity, from industry to tourism, while prioritizing imports, exports or technological development.

During his speech in Ankara, the Venezuelan diplomat recalled that despite US sanctions his country was heading towards “full economic and political stability” as a result of strategic partnerships with allied countries, highlighting recent years of cooperation with Turkey.

“This year we will experience the most important growth in Latin America. We could reach 10 percent of GDP growth. If [US] sanctions were not an obstacle, the growth would be much higher,” assured Gil. He likewise acknowledged Turkey’s consistent opposition to the US blockade against the Latin American nation.

The countries’ delegations also vowed to collaborate on human rights issues, scholarships and educational programs, biotechnology, renewable energies and artificial intelligence, as well as cultural exchange through joint productions of theater plays, movies and TV series.

The parties committed to follow up on the established agreements and to hold the fifth Joint Cooperation Commission meeting in Venezuela in 2026.

For his part, Turkey’s foreign affairs minister Hakan Fidan said that Ankara will continue to stand “firmly against unilateral sanctions on Venezuela” while deepening bilateral ties. “Our relationship with Venezuela is central to our engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean,” he stressed.

Fidan likewise emphasized the countries’ consensus in international matters, especially their opposition to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. He declared that Ankara and Caracas would continue joining diplomatic efforts to achieve international recognition of the Palestinian state.

“The growing number of countries recognizing Palestine is gradually isolating Israel and its supporters,” expressed Fidan, pledging that Turkey’s humanitarian aid for people in Gaza will continue “uninterrupted.”

Venezuela’s Gil likewise demanded “punishment for the crimes against humanity in this region” and reaffirmed the Maduro government’s support for Palestine’s liberation.

Venezuela and Turkey established diplomatic relations 73 years ago but strengthened their political and economic alliance under the Hugo Chávez (1999-2013) and Nicolás Maduro governments. Efforts to increase trade and reinforce ties on international matters advanced in recent years as Caracas relied on partners to circumvent US sanctions.

On May 13, president Maduro signed the “Law Agreement on Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments” to facilitate economic integration and cooperation between Venezuela and Turkey.

“It is a law that puts us on a higher scale for relations and investments, in addition, to trade with our sister Republic of Turkey,” said Maduro during his weekly podcast.