Venezuela’s Maduro conveys 'great respect' for Guyana president

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during to visit of Richard Van West-Charles, Guyana Ambassador to Venezuela, at the Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, February 20, 2024. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo

(Reuters) - Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro has conveyed his "great respect" to the Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday, signaling a decrease in tensions over an area where Guyana is developing large oil and gas reserves.

Diplomatic talks between the two countries started in December. That month, a Venezuelan referendum backed a move to incorporate Essequibo, the area where Guyana is developing large oil and gas reserves.