CARACAS, Venezuela — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum conducted meetings in Venezuela this week with the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, marking another indication of the Trump administration’s strategy to gain influence over the South American nation’s abundant natural resources.
The secretary, who heads President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council, planned to engage with both American and Venezuelan business representatives during his visit to “work for a legitimate mining sector and safe critical mineral supply chains,” the U.S. diplomatic mission in Venezuela stated on X.
The diplomatic mission described Burgum’s two-day trip as “another vital and historic step” supporting the administration’s gradual approach to transforming Venezuela.
This marks the second high-level U.S. official visit to Caracas for meetings with Rodríguez, who assumed leadership after U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro two months prior. Energy Secretary Chris Wright previously traveled there in February, concentrating on the nation’s petroleum resources.
America’s chief diplomat in Venezuela, Laura Dogu, accompanied Burgum during his presidential palace meeting with Rodríguez.
Last month, the Trump administration revealed plans to establish a critical minerals trading partnership with allied nations, aimed at countering China’s dominance over essential materials used in products ranging from military aircraft to mobile devices.
Beyond its petroleum wealth, Venezuela possesses significant deposits of gold, copper, diamonds and additional valuable minerals, though the poorly supervised mining industry frequently operates under dangerous conditions.
Prior to his detention, Maduro and his supporters argued that American antagonism stemmed from desire to control Venezuela’s abundant oil and mineral wealth.
