Trump Cancels Second Wave of Attacks on Venezuela
US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had canceled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela after the government began releasing political prisoners. Trump described the prisoner releases as a sign that Venezuela is “seeking peace.”
“Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The announcement came as Trump prepared to meet with major US oil corporations, which he said would invest at least $100 billion in Venezuela, home to the world’s largest oil reserves.
Venezuela Begins Prisoner Releases
Venezuela began releasing prisoners on Thursday, marking the first such gesture since US forces removed President Nicolas Maduro in a deadly January 3 raid. Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez now oversees the government.
Former opposition candidate Enrique Marquez, who contested Maduro in the disputed 2024 elections, was among those freed. Marquez shared a video of himself with his wife and fellow released opposition member Biagio Pilieri, saying: “It’s all over now.”
The White House claimed credit for the prisoner releases, while Trump downplayed democracy as a motivating factor in the US operations against Maduro.
Trump Plans Meetings with Venezuelan Leaders
Trump confirmed he will meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado next week. In a Fox News interview, Trump described her as a “very nice woman” but had previously questioned her ability to lead Venezuela.
Trump also expressed jealousy over Machado winning the Nobel Peace Prize, noting that she dedicated the award to him.
Mixed Reactions in Venezuela
Delcy Rodriguez’s brother, Venezuelan parliament speaker Jorge Rodriguez, said the releases included “a large number of Venezuelan and foreign nationals” for “peaceful coexistence.”
Spanish-Venezuelan activist Rocio San Miguel, jailed since February 2024 over an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro, was among five Spanish citizens released.
On the streets of Caracas, reactions were mixed. Jose Antonio Blanco, 26, said: “I feel we’ll have more opportunities if the oil is in the hands of the United States than in the hands of the government.”
US Seizes Another Venezuelan Tanker
On Friday, the United States seized another tanker near Venezuela as part of ongoing enforcement of the oil embargo, consolidating US control over key Venezuelan oil exports.
Also Read:U.S. Revokes Oil & Gas Licenses for Foreign Companies in Venezuela
Trump has earlier stated plans to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, with proceeds to be used by Caracas to purchase US-made products.
Venezuela Denies Subjugation
Despite US interventions, Delcy Rodriguez emphasized that Venezuela is “not subordinate or subjugated.” She described the January 3 raid that captured Maduro and his wife as a battle “for the homeland,” where “nobody surrendered.”
