The U.S. government and Venezuela appear to be taking tentative steps toward cooperation after Caracas released a significant number of political prisoners, a move President Donald Trump described as a gesture “to seek peace.”
In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the releases represented “a very important and smart gesture” and suggested the United States and Venezuela are “working well together,” particularly on efforts to rebuild Venezuela’s oil and gas infrastructure.
Trump said that, because of this cooperation, the United States has cancelled a previously expected second wave of military attacks on Venezuela that had been planned following earlier U.S. action in the country. However, he added that U.S. naval forces would remain in place in the region for “safety and security purposes.”
The prisoner releases come amid a dramatic recent shift in U.S.–Venezuela relations marked by a U.S. military operation in Caracas that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. That operation and Maduro’s transfer to U.S. custody on federal charges have raised questions about the future of diplomatic and security cooperation between the two nations.
Trump also highlighted plans for major investments by U.S. oil companies in Venezuela’s energy sector, saying senior executives are expected to visit the White House to discuss reconstruction efforts.
Mexico’s government has publicly rejected any suggestion of U.S. intervention on Mexican soil, while both Washington and Caracas have framed the recent developments as part of broader collaborative efforts rather than escalation of conflict.
