Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez is unlikely to visit India next week amid the postponement of the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit, scheduled early next month, due to the Ebola outbreak in Africa, sources said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had mentioned Rodriquez’s possible visit to India next week while talking to the American media on Thursday before departing for his diplomatic trip to Sweden and India.
“We also think there’s opportunities with Venezuelan oil. In fact, it’s my understanding that the interim president of Venezuela will be travelling to India next week as well,” Rubio said while pitching for India-US energy cooperation.
While the Ministry of External Affairs has not commented on the statement, sources close to the development said that Rodriguez was not visiting. “No, the Venezuelan interim President is not visiting India next week,” the source said.
Rodríguez was reportedly scheduled to visit New Delhi next week to attend the inaugural IBCA summit on June 1-2.
The MEA, on Friday, announced the postponement of both the IBCA and the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (May 28-31) on account of the severe Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa that disrupted the participation of many African countries.
Published on May 22, 2026