Turkey's Foreign Policy Strategy in Latin America; Case Study of Venezuela

In recent years, with the arrival of the Justice and Development Party, Turkey has become an active player in the world, so that in several international aspects, while paying attention to its Western allies, it has the most degree of independence in making its decisions. Therefore, according to its "strategic depth", Turkey's foreign policies towards Latin America and the Caribbean became particularly significant. Venezuela is one of the most important countries in the Latin American region, which has participated in trans-regional cooperation in the new century, due to its central role in the fields of economy, energy and ideology. So, without paying attention to the opposition of Turkey's allies, the atmosphere of negotiation was shaped by the economic cooperation between Ankara and Caracas. This has led Turkey to give it political support, especially in the years when Venezuela faced a crisis. Therefore, the main question of this article is the reasons for Turkey's presence in Latin America, and especially in Venezuela. The main hypothesis is that Turkey has sought to expand its political and economic influence in Venezuela and, consequently, in the Latin American region, in the context of neoliberalism in international relations. Following this influence, what Ankara considers a long-term goal is to show an active and influential figure in the international arena.