Trump to meet Chile’s president for talks on Venezuela
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera
US President Donald Trump will receive his Chilean counterpart, Sebastian Pinera, late this month for talks on “efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela,” the White House said Friday.
The Chilean president had planned to visit the United States for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting next week.
His visit on September 28 to the White House comes with regional concerns growing about an exodus of Venezuelans fleeing their country’s economic meltdown.
Trump has accused Venezuela’s leftist President Nicolas Maduro of leading a “dictatorship” and a report in The New York Times earlier this month said US officials had met with Venezuelan military officers seeking support for a coup.
Pinera will be received by Trump for what the White House described as a “working visit.”
Trump and Pinera “will build upon the strong partnership between their nations in pursuit of a more prosperous, secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere,” the White House statement said.
“The leaders expect to discuss a shared commitment to pro-growth policies, combating corrupt and illicit networks, strategic partnerships in energy and cyber security, and efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela,” it said.
