Venezuela said on Friday that it has begun talks with the United States aimed at restoring diplomatic relations, just days after US forces removed longtime leader Nicolás Maduro from power in a dramatic military operation.
The announcement marked the latest sign of tentative cooperation following the capture of the leftist president and US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Washington is now effectively “in charge” of the South American nation.
Venezuelan officials confirmed that US diplomats had arrived in Caracas to explore the reopening of the American embassy, while in Washington, Trump met senior oil executives to discuss plans to gain access to Venezuela’s vast crude reserves.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez had decided to initiate what he described as an “exploratory diplomatic process” with the United States.“The Bolivarian government has decided to initiate an exploratory diplomatic process with the government of the United States of America, aimed at re-establishing diplomatic missions in both countries,” Gil said in a statement.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said John McNamara, Washington’s top diplomat in neighboring Colombia, along with other personnel, had travelled to Caracas to conduct an initial assessment for a possible phased resumption of US diplomatic operations.
Venezuela said it would reciprocate by sending its own delegation to Washington in the coming days.Despite the outreach, Rodríguez condemned what she called a “serious, criminal, illegal and illegitimate attack” by the United States, referring to the January 3 raid that led to Maduro’s detention.
She vowed that Venezuela would continue to confront US actions “through the diplomatic route.”
Trump Pushes Oil InvestmentsEarlier on Friday, Trump said he had called off a second wave of military strikes against Venezuela following the release of political prisoners, though he again warned that force could be used if Washington’s demands were not met.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, a fact Trump has repeatedly cited as central to US interests in the country.
At a White House meeting, Trump urged leading oil executives to invest heavily in Venezuela’s energy sector. The response, however, was cautious. ExxonMobil chief executive Darren Woods described the country as “uninvestable” without sweeping political and economic reforms.
Trump argued that foreign companies had enjoyed little protection under Maduro’s rule but claimed conditions had now fundamentally changed.“Before, you had no security at all,” Trump said. “But now you have total security. It’s a whole different Venezuela.”
He stressed that companies would negotiate exclusively with Washington, not Caracas, in any future exploitation of Venezuelan oil resources.
The US president also claimed that oil firms had pledged as much as $100 billion in future investments, even as Venezuela’s oil infrastructure remains severely degraded after years of mismanagement and international sanctions.
Trump previously announced a plan for the United States to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, with the proceeds to be used at his discretion. He added that any funds sent to Caracas would be restricted to the purchase of US-made goods.
Meanwhile, Washington has continued maritime pressure on Venezuelan oil exports. US authorities seized a fifth tanker carrying Venezuelan crude in the Caribbean this week, according to Trump.
State-run oil company PDVSA confirmed that one vessel had returned to Venezuelan waters, calling it the “first successful joint operation” with the United States.
Outside Venezuelan prisons, anxious relatives gathered as authorities began releasing political detainees — a move Washington claimed as a direct result of US pressure.“When I heard the news, I broke down,” said Dilsia Caro, 50, who was waiting for her husband, Noel Flores, imprisoned for publicly criticizing Maduro.
The releases began on Thursday, marking the first such gesture since US forces removed and detained Maduro during the deadly January 3 operation.
Trump told Fox News that he plans to meet next week with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, whom he had previously dismissed as lacking the “respect” to lead the country.
Exiled opposition figure Edmundo González Urrutia said any democratic transition must recognize his claim to victory in the disputed 2024 presidential election. Maduro was declared the winner, but the result was widely viewed by international observers as fraudulent.
González said he was hoping for the release of his son-in-law, who has been detained in Caracas for more than a year.
Protests Continue in CaracasMaduro was captured in a US special forces operation backed by airstrikes that Caracas says killed at least 100 people. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York to face charges including drug trafficking.Rodríguez insisted on Thursday that Venezuela was “not subordinate or subjugated,” even as she pledged conditional cooperation with Washington.
Anger continued to spill onto the streets of Caracas on Friday, where protesters staged fresh demonstrations demanding Maduro’s release.
“We don’t have to give one single drop of oil to Trump after everything he has done to us,” said Josefina Castro, 70, a civil activist taking part in the protest.“Our Venezuelan brothers died in the attack,” she said. “And that pain is still with us.”