Rubio breaks news of Venezuela Prez's India visit; Cong sees Op Sindoor replay

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio became the first official to reveal that Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodrguez "would visit India next week". Process that. It was neither an Indian nor a Venezuelan official, but Rubio, an American, who revealed the official visit. Reminded of Rubio's Operation Sindoor ceasefire and his boss Donald Trump's? Congress was.

Rubio's disclosure that Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez would be visiting India came while the US Secretary of State was discussing energy cooperation with India ahead of his own visit to the country.

Rubio's disclosure has triggered a political row in India. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, comparing it to Rubio's 2025 announcement regarding the ceasefire of Operation Sindoor, asked the BJP-led Centre why major developments involving India appeared to be first emerging from Washington.

The report of Delcy Rodriguez's India visit assumes significance as it comes months after the US forces abducted the country's president, Nicolas Maduro. Since then, the US-friendly regime led by Rodriguez, has been under heavy influence of Washington DC. Deals were inked allowing American companies access to Venezuelan oil fields. The US now enjoys strong leverage on the Latin American nation through control over oil sales and revenues after it lifted sanctions on Venezuelan oil.

Venezuela possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves and India remains one of the world's biggest crude importers. The report also comes at a time when India is navigating turbulence as it is dependent on imported oil and gas from the Middle East.

At the same time, the US has repeatedly discouraged India from buying Russian crude while proposing New Delhi to purchase American energy.

MARCO RUBIO REVEALS VENEZUELA PRESIDENT INDIA VISIT

Rubio made the disclosure while speaking to reporters before departing on a trip that would bring him to India beginning Saturday. Highlighting the US' desire to expand energy exports to India, Rubio said, "We want to sell them as much energy as they'll buy".

He then unexpectedly revealed a possible diplomatic engagement involving Venezuela and India.

"We also think there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil. In fact, it's my understanding that the interim president of Venezuela will be travelling to India next week as well," Rubio said.

"There's a lot to work on with India. They're a great ally, a great partner," added Rubio.

Rubio's comment attracted attention because neither India nor Venezuela had publicly announced such a visit before Rubio's remarks.

WHY IS CONGRESS CALLING RUBIO'S REVEAL AN OP SINDOOR REPLAY?

The political reaction to Rubio's statement came from at least two Congress MPs, including the party general secretary Jairam Ramesh.

In a post on X, Ramesh recalled another occasion when he said Rubio appeared to disclose information concerning India before Indian authorities did.

"At 5.37 PM on May 10, 2025, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the first to announce the halt to Operation Sindoor" Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said. He, then, pointed to Rubio's latest comments concerning the Venezuelan leader's India visit.

"Yesterday, Mr Rubio was again the very first to announce that the President of Venezuela would be visiting India next week. This was even before India and Venezuela had even hinted or confirmed the news," Ramesh said.

EBOLA OUTBREAK DELAYS VENEZUELAN INTERIM PRESIDENT'S INDIA VISIT

"It turns out that the President of Venezuela was expected to attend the launch of the International Big Cat Alliance in New Delhi next week. However this has since been postponed because of the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Africa," Ramesh added.

The first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit, which was scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 1, has been postponed and will be convened at a later date to ensure wider participation from African and other range countries, said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Thursday.

Jairam Ramesh ended his post with a sharp political jab, asking, "What else does the US Secretary of State have in store for Indian foreign policy?"

The comparison with Operation Sindoor was used by the Congress leader to frame the episode as part of a larger pattern.

CONGRESS QUESTIONS HOW AMERICANS DECLARING THIRD-PARTY VISITS

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain took to X to say that even "the halt to Operation Sindoor" and Prime Minister Modi's reported willingness to offer "zero tariffs for American agricultural products" had first emerged from the US side.

He alleged that at a time when the West Asian crisis carries serious implications for India's "economy, energy security and diplomacy", the government had aligned itself with American strategic priorities, including by seeking waivers from Washington for purchases of Russian oil.

Hussain asked, "Why are crucial announcements concerning India's sovereignty and strategic autonomy being made by the Modi government through Washington rather than before the people of India?"

The first official Indian announcement of the Operation Sindoor ceasefire came from foreign minister S Jaishankar, who posted on X that "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action" on May 10, 2025. Marco Rubio had publicly announced the ceasefire agreement earlier the same day. Later, foreign secretary Vikram Misri at a media briefing said, Pakistan's DGMO initiated the call at 15.35 IST, during which both sides agreed to halt all military activity from 17.00 IST [on May 10, 2025].

While US President Donald Trump claimed that he played a key role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, India has consistently maintained that the ceasefire understanding with Pakistan was achieved through direct communication between the DGMOs of the two countries.

Venezuelan interim leader Rodrguez assumed office after Maduro was removed from power in January. Although she publicly criticised the operation that removed Maduro, she later won praise from US President Donald Trump "for cooperating with Washington and facilitating engagement with oil companies".

An aspect of the story is Rodriguez's longstanding personal connection with India. She has been a follower of the late Indian spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba and has visited his ashram in Andhra Pradesh's Puttaparthi on at least two occasions in recent years while serving as Venezuela's vice-president under Maduro. The former President was also a follower of the spiritual guru.

Meanwhile, Rubio, who is also set to land in India, is expected to have talks on energy security, defence cooperation, trade and broader strategic coordination with India. He is also scheduled to attend the Quad foreign ministers' meeting alongside External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australia's Penny Wong and Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

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