President Donald Trump revealed Friday that he has called off a second planned offensive against Venezuela, citing the release of a “significant number of political prisoners” by Caracas. The move comes days after a swift U.S. operation led to the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the United States and Venezuela are now “working well together.” He hailed the prisoner release as evidence of Venezuela’s “desire for peace.” Trump affirmed that all U.S. ships would remain stationed in the Caribbean and Pacific for safety and security purposes.
The President also disclosed that major oil companies are set to invest $100 billion in Venezuela. He indicated that he would be meeting with representatives from these companies later in the day at the White House.
Venezuela began releasing a substantial number of political prisoners, including foreign nationals, on Thursday. The White House characterized the release as a direct result of pressure exerted by President Trump following Maduro’s removal.
The prisoner release is considered the first apparent concession by the interim Venezuelan government since the Trump administration declared that the United States would “manage” Venezuela after U.S. forces apprehended Maduro and transported him to New York for trial on “narco-terrorism” charges.
Foro Penal, a non-governmental organization that monitors prisons, estimates that there are 806 political prisoners currently detained in Venezuela, including 175 military personnel. Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the Venezuelan Parliament and brother of acting Venezuelan President Delsy Rodriguez, announced that “in order to promote peaceful coexistence, the Bolivarian government and state institutions have decided to release a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign individuals.” He told reporters that these releases were underway.
Security measures were heightened on Thursday afternoon outside the El Helicoide prison in Caracas as the releases commenced.
