Turkey–Venezuela relations
{{Infobox bilateral relations|Turkish-Venezuelan |Venezuela |Turkey|filetype=svg|map=Turkey Venezuela Locator.svg|mission1=Venezuelan embassy, Ankara|mission2=Turkish embassy, Caracas}}
Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Venezuela were established in 1950. Since the development of relations, they have had a great relationship. Turkey recognizes Maduro as the president of Venezuela instead of Guidó in the Venezuelan crisis.
History
Due to the geographical distance and the fact that the two countries focused more on their own geography, relations stayed limited until 2016 and onwards.{{cite web |title=Türkiye - Venezuela Siyasi İlişkileri |url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-venezuela-siyasi-iliskileri.tr.mfa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822214408/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-venezuela-siyasi-iliskileri.tr.mfa |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 August 2018 |website=mfa.gov.tr |publisher=T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı |access-date=11 January 2020 |date=22 August 2018}} Following the death of Hugo Chávez in March 2013, Turkish Deputy PM Beşir Atalay attended the funeral and said that the death of the late Venezuelan President shook across Latin America. The visit to Venezuela by Deputy PM Atalay was marked as highly important for its future relations with Venezuela.{{cite web |url=http://www.turkishny.com/usa-life/87-usa-life/116448-turkish-deputy-pmchavezs-death-shook-latin-america |title=Turkish Deputy PM:Chavez's Death Shook Latin America |publisher=Turkishny.com |date=9 March 2013 |access-date=15 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022031907/http://www.turkishny.com/usa-life/87-usa-life/116448-turkish-deputy-pmchavezs-death-shook-latin-america |archive-date=22 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}
Following the increasing economic partnership between Venezuela and Turkey in October 2016, Turkish Airlines started offering direct flights from December 2016 connecting between Caracas to Istanbul (via Havana, Cuba) in an effort to "link and expand contacts" between the two countries.{{Cite news|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/english/business/turkish-airlines-starts-direct-istanbul-havana-caracas-flights/50000265-3130444|title=Turkish Airlines starts direct Istanbul-Havana-Caracas flights|date=20 December 2016|work=EFE|access-date=25 May 2019}}
The relations have started to develop with recent developments and high level mutual visits.{{Cite web |last=Oner |first=Imdat |title=Turkey and Venezuela: An Alliance of Convenience {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/turkey-and-venezuela-alliance-convenience |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}} The first official visit between the two countries at presidential level was in October 2017 when Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro visited Turkey. In December 2018, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Venezuela and did not support the claim of Juan Guaidó a month later.{{cite news |url=https://www.trtworld.com/turkey/turkey-s-erdogan-visits-venezuela-vows-to-enhance-ties-22171 |access-date=11 January 2020 |title=Turkey's Erdogan visits Venezuela, vows to enhance ties|work=TRT World |date=4 December 2018}}
Reuters reported that in 2018, 23 tons of mined gold were taken from Venezuela to Istanbul.{{cite news|last1=Pons|first1=Corina|first2=Mayela|last2=Armas|date=27 February 2019|title=Exclusive: Venezuela removed 8 tons of central bank gold last week - legislator|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-gold-exclusive/exclusive-venezuela-removed-8-tons-of-central-bank-gold-last-week-legislator-idUSKCN1QG2QG|access-date=20 March 2019}} In the first nine months of 2018, Venezuela's gold exports to Turkey rose from zero in the previous year to US$900 million.{{cite news|author1=Rampton, Roberta |author2=Steve Holland |date=1 November 2018|title=Trump signs sanctions order targeting Venezuela's gold exports|work=CNBC|agency=Reuters|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/01/reuters-america-update-1-trump-signs-sanctions-order-targeting-venezuelas-gold-exports.html|access-date=2 April 2018}}{{Cite web |last=Oner |first=Imdat |title=Turkey and Venezuela: An Alliance of Convenience {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/turkey-and-venezuela-alliance-convenience |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Oner |first=Imdat |date=2018-08-22 |title=Gold Finger: Venezuela’s gold transactions with Turkey may point to another sign of growing Russian influence |url=https://globalamericans.org/gold-finger-venezuelas-gold-transactions-with-turkey-may-point-to-another-sign-of-growing-russian-influence/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Global Americans |language=en-US}}
Following the 2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt, Erdoğan condemned the actions of Guaidó, tweeting "Those who are in an effort to appoint a postmodern colonial governor to Venezuela, where the President was appointed by elections and where the people rule, should know that only democratic elections can determine how a country is governed".{{Cite web |last=Oner |first=Imdat |title=Turkey and Venezuela: An Alliance of Convenience {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/turkey-and-venezuela-alliance-convenience |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/1-maduro-ally-turkey-berates-183215511.html|title=Maduro ally Turkey berates Venezuelan opposition for uprising call|date=30 April 2019|website=Yahoo News|access-date=30 April 2019}}{{cite web |url= https://twitter.com/RTErdogan/status/1123274099965476865 |date= 30 April 2019 |access-date= 30 April 2019 |publisher= Twitter |title= Recep Tayyip Erdoğan}}
Turkey and Venezuela have developed good relations in recent years. In November 2021, Turkey praised Venezuela for its recent controversial regional elections, although the US State Department called Venezuela's elections “flawed”{{cite news |title=Turkey praises Venezuela for 'peaceful' elections - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/11/turkey-praises-venezuela-peaceful-elections |work=www.al-monitor.com |date=24 November 2021 |language=en}} According to Wilson Center report on the relationship between Turkey and Venezuela: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has drawn close to Maduro “based on the two leaders’ mutual dislike of the West and frustration with U.S. sanctions. Despite their ideological differences, the two authoritarian leaders have developed strong personal ties.”{{cite web |last=Oner |first=Imdat |title=Turkey and Venezuela: An Alliance of Convenience {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/turkey-and-venezuela-alliance-convenience |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}}
Diplomacy
= Embassy of Turkey in Caracas =
The Embassy of Turkey in Caracas (Turkish: Türkiye'nin Karakas Büyükelçiliği) is the diplomatic mission of Turkey to Venezuela.{{Cite web|title=T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı - Turkish Embassy In Caracas|url=http://karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission|access-date=2021-11-10|website=karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr}} The incumbent ambassador is Şevki Mütevellioğlu.{{Cite web|title=Büyükelçinin Özgeçmişi|url=http://karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/Biography|access-date=2021-11-11|website=karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr}} The embassy also hosts the office of Ministry of Trade Attaché.{{Cite web|title=Contact Information|url=http://karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/Contact|access-date=2021-11-11|website=karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr}} The inaugural ambassador was Taha Carım.{{Cite web|title=Büyükelçilik Tarihi ve Önceki Büyükelçilerimiz|url=http://karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/MissionChiefHistory|access-date=2021-11-11|website=karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr}} The embassy is located on: Calle Kemal Atatürk No: 6 Quinta Turquesa, Valle Arriba, 1061.
The Türkiye Embassy started its mission in 1957 and moved in 1968 to the building currently used as the Official Residence, which was purchased during the period of Minister İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil. The building used today as the Embassy was built between 1993 and 1996 within the grounds of the Official Residence and began to serve since 1996. The Embassy works in the Valle Arriba urbanization in Caracas, where other embassies are located.{{Cite web |title=T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı - Turkish Embassy In Caracas - Büyükelçilik |url=http://karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/About |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=karakas.be.mfa.gov.tr}}
File:Avenida Casanova, Sabana Grande, Caracas - Turkey-Venezuela flags.jpg and Venezuela in Caracas ]]
Presidential visits
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Foreign relations of Turkey |expanded=Bilateral}}
{{Foreign relations of Venezuela}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turkey-Venezuela relations}}