On Friday, January 9, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had decided to cancel the second wave of attacks against Venezuela that had been “initially planned,” after observing progress in the Venezuelan government’s cooperation, especially in the release of political prisoners and in agreements related to the oil and gas sector.
In a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social, the U.S. president explained that the new military offensive “seems unnecessary” in light of the South American country’s recent gestures.
Trump highlights the release of political prisoners in Venezuela
«Venezuela is releasing a large number of political prisoners as a sign of its pursuit of peace. This is a very important and intelligent gesture», Trump wrote in his message, which was also shared by the State Department on the social media platform X.
The president underscored that this decision is part of a new framework of cooperation between Washington and Caracas, following the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Energy cooperation and multi-million dollar oil investments
Trump claimed that the United States and Venezuela are working together to rebuild and modernize oil and gas infrastructure, a collaboration he described as «much bigger, better, and more modern».
He also announced that major U.S. oil companies will invest at least 00 billion in projects related to the extraction of Venezuelan crude oil.
«Thanks to this cooperation, I have canceled the second wave of attacks that was initially planned. However, all ships will remain in place for security reasons», the president pointed out.
The president also confirmed that on Friday he will meet at the White House with executives from oil companies to plan operations in Venezuela.
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Venezuelan opposition demands the release of all political prisoners
Despite official announcements, the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), Venezuela’s main opposition coalition, reported that it has only been able to confirm 11 releases as of 8:30 a.m. local time on Friday, without specifying names.
The PUD noted that since 1:00 a.m. it has not received any reports of new releases, after Jorge Rodríguez, head of Parliament, announced additional releases without specifying figures or conditions.
«We remain vigilant and demand the release of all political prisoners», the opposition coalition stated.
Figures on political prisoners and the political scenario in Venezuela
According to local NGOs, the number of political prisoners in Venezuela ranges from 800 to 1,000 people. The opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia, who is in exile, insists that he won the 2024 presidential election against Nicolás Maduro.
The announcement of the releases marks one of the first actions by Venezuela’s interim president following the U.S. military operation that opened a new chapter in the relationship between Caracas and Washington, with an emphasis on political transition and the sale of Venezuelan oil.
