U.S. and Venezuela Begin Diplomatic Reopening After Maduro’s Capture as Oil Gambit Faces Pushback

Overview

• A U.S. delegation traveled to Caracas to assess restoring the embassy closed since 2019, and Venezuelan authorities said they are initiating steps to reestablish formal ties.
• Washington and PDVSA announced a joint operation that compelled the Minerva tanker to return to Venezuelan waters for authorized sale under a new energy arrangement.
• President Donald Trump pressed oil executives to commit up to $100 billion, but leaders such as ExxonMobil’s CEO called Venezuela currently “not investable,” while Chevron signaled capacity to lift output roughly 50% in 18 to 24 months.
• Prosecutors in New York filed a revised case that recasts prior ‘Cartel de Los Soles’ claims as a broader culture of corruption yet maintains narcoterrorism and weapons charges against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, who remain in U.S. custody.
• Inside Venezuela, tensions persist with journalist detentions during Delcy Rodríguez’s swearing-in and disputed casualty figures, as Trump said he halted a second round of strikes citing limited cooperation and a small number of prisoner releases.