WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Venezuela would release political prisoners as a show of cooperation after the U.S. military ousted Nicolás Maduro, as he prepared to meet with oil company executives on Jan. 9 and the country’s opposition leaders next week.
“Venezuela is releasing a large number of political prisoners as a sign of ‘the pursuit of peace,'” Trump said in a social media post, calling it an “important and smart gesture.” “The United States and Venezuela work well together, especially in rebuilding oil and gas infrastructure in a bigger, better, more modern form.”
Trump is scheduled to meet with oil executives from 17 companies, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Trump has encouraged $100 billion in investment in Venezuela to revive its oil industry.
“Following President Trump’s announcement of a historic energy deal with Venezuela, U.S. oil companies will come to the White House to discuss investment opportunities to restore Venezuela’s oil infrastructure,” White House spokesman Tyler Rogers said.
Trump said newly inaugurated Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez was cooperating with the U.S. government. But he also plans to meet in Washington with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who he has previously said “does not have support or respect at home.”
“Well, I know she’ll be here sometime next week and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump said on Fox News’ “Hannity” on January 8.
Trump will meet at 11 a.m. ET with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been coordinating U.S. plans for Venezuela with Rodriguez and others. Because of his cooperation, Trump called off a possible second wave of attacks on the country, but he will keep the warships in the area as a precaution.
All of these moves are part of Trump’s plan to rebuild Venezuela, running the country indefinitely in coordination with local officials and paying for it with oil revenues.
The changes come after the U.S. military captured Maduro and his wife on January 3 and brought them to New York to face trial on narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking charges. They plead not guilty.
Venezuela’s oil production has suffered in recent years due to U.S. sanctions. Chevron is the only U.S. company operating there, but government officials expect it to expand operations soon and be joined by others such as Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips.
“You can sell oil with the United States, or you can’t sell oil,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business on January 8. Venezuela is “choosing, ‘Maybe we should work with the United States.’ So we’re allowing oil to flow again, to be sold by the U.S. government.” “