Venezuela's Rodriguez appoints US-educated banker to lead country's investment agency

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez says the appointment of Calixto Ortega would allow for "the continued attraction of national and international investment."

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The writing had been on the wall for Saab since last week when Rodriguez sacked him as industry minister. / AP

Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, appointed a US-educated banker to head the country's main investment agency, in an apparent overture to US investors following the abduction of Nicolas Maduro.

Rodriguez sacked a close ally of her ousted predecessor to make way for Calixto Ortega, the former head of the country's central bank, as head of the International Center for Productive Investment.

Ortega had also been previously posted to Houston, the Texas city at the centre of the US oil refining industry, as part of Venezuela's diplomatic mission.

Analysts described the move as yet another signal to President Donald Trump that Venezuela is prepared to give American oil companies prime access to its energy sector.

Writing on X, Rodriguez said Ortega's appointment would allow for "the continued attraction of national and international investment" to spur an economic recovery.

Ortega replaces Alex Saab, a Colombian-born Venezuelan seen as a frontman for Maduro.

The writing had been on the wall for Saab since last week when Rodriguez sacked him as industry minister.

Washington had accused him of money laundering.

TRT World - US may've abducted Maduro, but its oil hopes in Venezuela will not be easily realised, say experts

Nod to Machado

Watching the transition unfold from the sidelines is opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Trump said on Tuesday he was still talking to Machado, who presented him with her Nobel medal, which he openly coveted, at the White House last week.

"Maybe we can get her involved in some way. I'd love to be able to do that," the Republican leader told reporters in Washington.

Machado, who is still touring the US capital, said on Tuesday there could be no real change in Venezuela until all political prisoners are released.

Rodriguez has begun to slowly release some of the estimated 800 political prisoners.

On Tuesday, the families of 200 prisoners demonstrated outside the prosecutor's office in Caracas to demand proof of life of their loved ones.

"Where are they?" one of the placards waved by the demonstrators read.