Kerry and Maduro star in an “unexpected” handshake during COP27

The special envoy of USA for Climate, John Kerryand the president of Venezuela, Nicholas Maduroshook hands this Tuesday at the climate summit COP27 in a meeting that “Was not planned”, State Department spokesman said ned price.

In a press conference, Price confirmed the exchange between Kerry and Maduro, which lasted about 25 seconds and in which both shook hands and exchanged a few words, as captured by television cameras at the Climate Summit COP27which is celebrated in the Egyptian city of Sharm el Sheikh.

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“I think those who saw the video realized that Nicolás Maduro interrupted what was an ongoing COP27 meeting to interact with Special Envoy Kerry, and that was very much an unplanned interaction.”Price said.

The spokesman compared the meeting with other unplanned interactions that Maduro has had throughout the COP27 and assured Kerry that he greeted “It took him by surprise.”

For example, Ripe greeted his French counterpart on Monday, Emmanuel Macronwith whom he talked smiling.

“I understand that Maduro has done this to several world leaders. Of course this interaction was not planned.asserted Pricewho insisted that the meeting was not planned “in any way”.

Any lip readers?

Maybe recalling their days bonding over baseball at a Cape Cod retreat of the @groupdeboston two decades ago @NicolasMaduro was a lawmaker and @JohnKerry
still a senator. Those meetings helped ease tensions following 2002 coup. pic.twitter.com/Z0ZWRZ5Xwj

— Joshua Goodman (@APjoshgoodman) November 8, 2022

This is the first exchange captured by television cameras between Ripe and a member of the Government of Joe Biden.

The Venezuelan president already met on March 5 in Caracas with a US delegation led by Biden’s adviser for Latin America, Juan González, but that meeting was behind closed doors.

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Biden continued to apply the sanctions on Venezuela imposed by his predecessor, Donald Trump (2017-2021), and reiterated that he will only loosen the pressure if Maduro resumes dialogue with the opposition, suspended since last year.

In addition, the US and Venezuela have not had official diplomatic relations since 2019, when Trump recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela, something that Biden has maintained.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.