President Donald Trump says oil production is restarting in Venezuela following Nicolas Maduro’s capture, while officials in Caracas continue to assert his legitimacy and political tensions remain unresolved.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that progress is underway to restore Venezuela’s oil production capacity following the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, describing renewed engagement between Washington and Caracas as “extraordinary.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that relations between the United States and Venezuela have significantly improved and that discussions are ongoing with acting President Delcy Rodriguez and her representatives. He wrote that oil production is beginning to resume and that new revenue would soon benefit the Venezuelan people. Trump added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. representatives were handling negotiations, emphasizing that only individuals approved by the State Department are authorized to represent U.S. interests. He also rejected suggestions that private individuals have any official role in shaping U.S.–Venezuela policy. The full statement was published on Truth Social.
Trump specifically addressed a report published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal concerning Florida energy executive Harry Sargeant III. The article reported that Sargeant could benefit financially from U.S. policy changes toward Venezuela and cited critics who described him as aligned with the former regime. The Journal wrote that Sargeant said in an interview, “This is the greatest investment opportunity since the collapse of the Soviet Union,” adding, “This is what I’ve been after all along.”
Trump stated in his Truth Social post that Sargeant “has no authority, in any way, shape, or form, to act on behalf of the United States of America.”
On Wednesday, acting President Delcy Rodriguez met with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas. Footage of the meeting was published on YouTube. According to a separate Wall Street Journal report, Wright described “enormous progress” in efforts to revive Venezuela’s oil sector while stating that broader objectives include sanctions relief and a democratic transition.
Despite those developments, Rodriguez told NBC News that Maduro remains the legitimate president of Venezuela. In comments reported by NBC News, she said, “I can tell you President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president. I will tell you this as a lawyer, that I am. Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the first lady, are both innocent.”
Political conditions inside Venezuela remain unsettled. Student demonstrators gathered at the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas on Thursday demanding the release of political prisoners and a full democratic transition, according to The Guardian. Protesters were quoted chanting, “Who are we? Venezuela! What do we want? Freedom!”
Following Maduro’s capture earlier this year, some political detainees were released. Reporting from Infowars noted that several prisoners were freed shortly afterward. Additional coverage from ZeroHedge detailed a proposed amnesty bill introduced in Caracas at the end of January aimed at releasing political detainees.
According to reporting citing Rodriguez’s public remarks, the amnesty legislation would cover the period of political unrest from 1999 to the present. In coverage by NBC Miami, Rodriguez said, “We have decided to push ahead with a general amnesty law that covers the whole period of political violence from 1999 to the present day,” adding that the National Assembly would take up the bill “with urgency.”
The U.S. Treasury Department issued a general license on February 10 facilitating exploration and production of oil and gas in Venezuela, coinciding with renewed diplomatic and energy discussions.
While Washington reports progress toward economic stabilization and oil production, officials in Caracas continue to dispute the political status of Maduro. Protests and legislative efforts surrounding political prisoners signal that the country’s transition remains ongoing.
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