&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Venezuela started freeing political prisoners, so I cancelled 2nd wave of ‘planned’ attacks: Trump")
In a key sign of de-escalation in tensions, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Venezuela has started releasing political prisoners and is cooperating with the US on rebuilding its oil and gas sector, and hence, he has cancelled a second wave of attack on the country. Trump announced that he called off a planned second wave of US military strikes after Caracas released a large number of political prisoners. Describing the move as a “very important and smart gesture”, Trump said it reflected improving cooperation between Washington and Caracas.
“Venezuela is releasing large numbers of political prisoners as a sign of ‘Seeking Peace’. This is a very important and smart gesture. The USA and Venezuela are working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure. Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second wave of attacks,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
He added that the recent developments suggest a military attack is no longer necessary, but clarified that “all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes”.
“At least $100 billion will be invested by Big Oil, all of whom I will be meeting with today at the White House,” he said.
US forces carried out airstrikes on the Venezuelan capital Caracas last week and captured President Nicols Maduro and his wife.
Trump has accused Venezuela of producing narcotics, aiding drug cartels, and trafficking drugs into the United States, claiming these actions have destroyed “American lives”.
Venezuela released several imprisoned high-profile opposition figures, activists, and journalists, a move Caracas described as a gesture to “seek peace” amid soaring tensions between the US and the oil-rich nation.
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In an interview with Fox News on Thursday night, Trump praised the government of Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodrguez and said, “They’ve been great. Everything we’ve wanted, they’ve given us.” Trump also said that he would meet all the big oil companies, who are going to invest $100 billion in Venezuelan oil, at the White House on Friday.
The US government and Venezuela’s opposition have long demanded the mass release of jailed politicians, critics, and civil society members.
Among those released was Biagio Pilieri, an opposition leader who was part of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado’s 2024 presidential campaign, according to Foro Penal, a Caracas-based prisoners’ rights advocacy group.
Enrique Marquez, a former electoral authority and candidate in the 2024 presidential election, was also freed.
Oil has emerged as the central pillar of US control over Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven crude reserves. Earlier this week, Trump announced plans for the United States to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, with Caracas using the proceeds to purchase US-made goods.
Defending the proposed oil sales to Washington, Acting President Rodriguez said on Wednesday that the arrangement was not “unusual”.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said that it is running Venezuela, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday asserting that Washington will control the country’s oil industry “indefinitely”.
