Fabiana Rosales, wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, met with Jill and Joe Biden

Antony Blinken recognizes Juan Guaidó in Venezuela 1:32

(CNN) --

The wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, whom the United States recognizes as interim president of that country, met with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the White House on Wednesday.

According to Carlos Vecchio, Guaidó's ambassador to the US, Fabiana Rosales was invited about a week and a half ago by Jill Biden to meet with her.

A White House official confirmed that First Lady Jill Biden met with Fabiana Rosales on Wednesday and, according to the official, the two "discussed US efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and support from the government of Venezuela." USA to the interim government of Venezuela”.

• María Corina Machado says that Biden "abandons" Venezuela with approaches to Maduro

President Joe Biden also greeted Rosales during his visit to the White House and "welcomed him to the White House," the official told CNN.

I was at @WhiteHouse carrying the voice of all Venezuelans🇻🇪 and of the President (E) @jguaido.

advertising

I spoke with @POTUS and @FLOTUS about the defense of Human Rights, the protection of migrants, the release of political prisoners and the urgency of free elections in Venezuela.

pic.twitter.com/oJTGYnqGjI

– Fabiana Rosales (@FabiiRosales) June 23, 2022

Vecchio said that Rosales and the president had a conversation of about 15 minutes before his meeting with Jill Biden, and that the meeting was not planned.

Biden told Rosales that she admired her husband's courage and she pledged to support them in her democratic efforts, Vecchio said.

He added that the meeting with the first lady went very well and lasted an hour, even though it was scheduled to last about twenty minutes.

Jill Biden was interested in hearing how the crisis in Venezuela was affecting education, women and children, Vecchio said, and "she was very shocked by what we said" and mentioned her own meeting with refugees in Ecuador.

• Biden weighs easing sanctions on Venezuela to isolate Russia and increase oil production

Vecchio said that Rosales called for the United States to continue its humanitarian support and also spoke of the need to address the "root cause of the problem": the political crisis and the need for free and fair presidential elections.

Vecchio said that Fabiana Rosales explained to Jill Biden that she and her husband had been attacked, and that US action or inaction would have an impact on their security.

Rosales tweeted that they discussed human rights, the protection of migrants, the release of political prisoners, and the need for free elections.

Rosales also met this week with the top official of the Department of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols, and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro.

Fabiana Rosales Jill Biden