Overview
- President Trump said he canceled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela, citing cooperation from Caracas and the release of political prisoners, while keeping U.S. naval assets in place for security.
- Venezuelan authorities announced a first wave of releases that included lawyer Rocío San Miguel and former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez, with Spain confirming five of its citizens were freed.
- At a White House meeting, Trump promoted a $100 billion push to rebuild Venezuela’s oil sector, but major producers withheld commitments and pointed to the need for security guarantees and legal reforms.
- U.S. diplomats arrived in Caracas as Venezuela began an exploratory process to restore relations, and interim leader Delcy Rodríguez stated the country is not subordinate to Washington.
- Nicolás Maduro remains in U.S. custody after pleading not guilty with a March court hearing scheduled, and Venezuelan officials allege roughly 100 deaths in the U.S. raid, a toll not independently verified.