French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday faced accusations of making a major foreign-policy reversal after an apparently cordial encounter with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
The 90-second handshake and chat on the sidelines of the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday might have been brief, but they were a stark contrast to previous comments by Macron, who in 2019 had described Maduro as “illegitimate.”
“I would be happy if we could talk to each other for longer to engage in useful bilateral work for the region,” Macron told Maduro, according to a video recording of the encounter.
Photo: AFP / VENEZUELAN PRESIDENCY
Addressing Maduro as “president,” he added: “I will call you.”
The French presidency on Tuesday said that France was trying to revive talks between Maduro and his opponents that have been at a standstill since last year.
“We’re trying to create a dynamic for the resumption of negotiations,” the Elysee Palace said. “That is why he [Macron] very briefly said hello to Maduro.”
France, the US and several European allies never recognized Maduro’s re-election to a second term in 2018 elections and instead recognized his rival Juan Guaido as acting president.
However, Guaido’s influence has ebbed after Maduro clung onto power and Western countries are also keenly aware of Venezuela’s status as a key OPEC oil producer.
In 2019, Macron had recognized Guaido as acting president, describing Maduro’s election as “illegitimate” and calling for “a restoration of democracy” in the country.
“Excellent handshake with the President of France Emmanuel Macron,” Maduro wrote on Twitter after the meeting. “The doors of Venezuela are open for the French people.”
French daily Liberation commented on “Macron’s big U-turn on Maduro’s Venezuela.”
France Unbowed party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon wrote on Twitter that the “need for oil makes people polite.”
He said that Macron had “finally” recognized the election of Maduro.
The encounter also came as Macron prepares this week to host Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has renewed diplomatic relations with Venezuela and wants to normalize ties after a three-year rupture.
Venezuela is also sending a senior official to attend the Paris Peace Forum, a major annual conference backed by Macron that starts tomorrow.
During the discussion between the two presidents, Maduro said that “France should play a positive role” in Latin America.
The exchange between the two men — where the presidents rigidly stare at each other — also saw Maduro declare that “we have very good friends in common” and ask Macron “when do you visit us?”
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