India, March 6 -- US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum met in Venezuela with acting President Delcy Rodriguez in the latest sign of the Trump administration's intent to exercise control over the South American country's natural resources.

Burgum, who leads US President Donald Trump's National Energy Dominance Council, and Rodriguez met with representatives of more than two dozen US mining and minerals companies, many of which had previously operated in Venezuela.

The two-day visit comes as the administration seeks to defend against China's hold on critical minerals - some of which are abundant in Venezuela - and advances its phased plan to turn around the long-troubled country.

"When we are working together in can only mean two thi...