Venezuela: Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, is set to visit the United States, marking the first visit by a sitting Venezuelan leader to the country in over 25 years. A senior US official announced the planned visit on Tuesday, indicating a potential shift in the historically strained relations between Washington and Caracas.

According to Anadolu Agency, there is no specific date set for Rodriguez's visit. Rodriguez assumed the role of interim president following a US military operation on January 3, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, amidst rising tensions over alleged drug trafficking activities.

In a statement made on Wednesday, Rodriguez expressed her intention to engage in dialogue with the United States without hesitation, highlighting diplomacy as the key approach to resolving longstanding conflicts. "We are in a process of dialogue, of working with the United States, without any fear, to confront our differences and difficulties, and to address them through diplomacy," said Rodriguez, who has previously held positions as vice president and oil minister.

The anticipated visit indicates a potential improvement in US-Venezuela relations following years of hostility and sanctions. Despite this diplomatic progress, Rodriguez remains under US sanctions, including an asset freeze.

The last visit by a Venezuelan president to the United States occurred in 1989 when then-President Carlos Andres Perez was in office. Prior to the announcement, Rodriguez informed lawmakers of her willingness to travel to Washington, asserting that she would represent the Venezuelan people with "standing tall" and sovereign dignity if necessary.