Maduro Says Discussed Oil Market Challenges With OPEC Secretary General

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met late on Tuesday with Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo, who arrived in Caracas to participate in Maduro’s inauguration on January 10.

"I held an enjoyable and pleasant meeting with the OPEC Secretary General, Mohammed Barkindo. We talked about the challenges of the oil market for 2019," Maduro said on Twitter.

Sostuve un ameno y agradable encuentro con Mohammed Barkindo, Secretario General de la OPEP. Conversamos sobre los retos del mercado petróleo para este año 2019 y me expresó los buenos deseos de los países miembros de la OPEP en el inicio del nuevo periodo presidencial. pic.twitter.com/uIsWYT4yzq

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) 9 января 2019 г.

READ MORE: Maduro Orders Military to Be Combat Ready for Defeating ‘Imperialistic Plots'

Photos of Maduro’s meeting with Barkindo were also posted on Venezuelan leader's Twitter.

Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Manuel Quevedo said that the purpose of the meeting between Maduro and Barkindo is to discuss the work of Venezuela during the country's presidency at the OPEC conference in 2019.

It was Quevedo who replaced UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed Faraj Mazrouei as president of the OPEC conference from January 1.