Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ ↗
IsThis

POLITICS

The Claim

Political ties between Turkey and Venezuela strengthened after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro supported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the July 2016 attempted coup in Turkey, and Turkey–Venezuela trade turnover reached nearly US$1 billion by 2023.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

The claim combines a well-supported political point with a materially overstated trade figure. Evidence indicates Maduro backed Erdoğan during the 2016 coup attempt and that Turkey-Venezuela ties strengthened afterward. But the strongest quantitative sources put 2023 bilateral trade closer to US$663-700 million, not 'nearly US$1 billion,' so the economic part overstates the scale.

Caveats

  • The phrase 'nearly US$1 billion by 2023' is not supported by the strongest trade data, which are substantially lower.
  • Some media reports use rounded or narrative trade figures that conflict with more precise official or dataset-based estimates.
  • The timeline that ties strengthened after 2016 is well supported, but it should not be read as proving Maduro's support was the only cause of the relationship's growth.

The Receipts

  1. Relations between Türkiye and Venezuela

    Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2. Turkey's Strategic Support for the Maduro Regime Deserves Attention

    Foundation for Defense of Democracies

  3. Turkey Exports to Venezuela - 2026 Data 2027 Forecast 1989-2025

    Trading Economics

  4. Turkey's extensive ties with Venezuela bolstered Maduro's regime despite sanctions and criminal activity

    Long War Journal

  5. Venezuela - Republic of Türkiye

    Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade

  6. Turkey's Venezuela Test: Solidarity Talk and Power Politics

    Political Studies Association

  7. Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez to visit Turkey for talks with Erdogan

    Middle East Eye

  8. Venezuela, Turkey relations peaked after coup attempt

    Anadolu Ajansı

  9. Turkey and Venezuela: An Alliance of Convenience

    Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

  10. Erdogan conveys moderate criticism of Maduro abduction in Trump phone call

    Middle East Eye

+ 16 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

2016 Turkish Coup AttemptNicolás MaduroRecep Tayyip ErdoğanTurkeyVenezuela

More Fact Checks