Venezuela’s Maduro Has Brief Encounter With US Envoy Kerry at COP27

Kerry appears to make “shame on you” gesture at leader
State Department describes encounter as unplanned surprise

Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president, center, at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 8. — Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president, center, at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 8.
Photographer: Islam Safwat/Bloomberg

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By Andreina Itriago

November 8, 2022 at 8:06 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shook hands and exchanged words with US climate envoy John Kerry in a brief encounter at the COP27 summit in Cairo on Tuesday, drawing what appeared to be a “shame on you” gesture from the former US secretary of state.

Maduro approached Kerry and the two spoke briefly through a translator, a short video released by Venezuela’s state television network showed. Kerry appeared to wag his finger and then gestured “shame on you” at Maduro.