The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, met with Venezuela's new Interim President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas for a two-hour discussion aimed at rebuilding trust and communication following the US seizure of President Nicolás Maduro nearly two weeks ago.
Ratcliffe, who traveled to Venezuela on Trump's direction, sat down with Rodríguez to discuss potential economic collaboration. Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela can no longer be used as a safe haven for America's adversaries. The meeting was seen as historic, with Ratcliffe being the first cabinet-level official to travel to Venezuela.
During his address to the nation, Rodríguez announced plans to reform Venezuela's hydrocarbon law, allowing foreign partners to work directly with the country's state-owned oil and gas company, PDVSA, rather than having a majority stake. This move aims to attract investment and improve the economic situation in the country.
Rodríguez also instructed her government to create two sovereign funds - one for social protection and another for infrastructure and social development. These reforms come as Trump's administration eyes opportunities in Venezuela, which holds the world's largest proven oil reserves.
The US president has promised to control sales of sanctioned Venezuelan oil "indefinitely" and has asked oil companies to invest at least $100bn (£75bn) in the country. However, one executive from a major American oil firm has expressed concerns that Venezuela is currently "uninvestable".
Rodríguez's address also highlighted the need for national unity as she warned of threats to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. She emphasized her willingness to engage diplomatically with the US but added that Venezuela will not back down in defending its dignity and honor.
The meeting between Rodríguez and Ratcliffe took place on the same day Trump met opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington, who presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize-winning medal. The two leaders have been engaged in a series of diplomatic efforts to address Venezuela's economic crisis and improve relations between the US and the country.
Ratcliffe, who traveled to Venezuela on Trump's direction, sat down with Rodríguez to discuss potential economic collaboration. Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela can no longer be used as a safe haven for America's adversaries. The meeting was seen as historic, with Ratcliffe being the first cabinet-level official to travel to Venezuela.
During his address to the nation, Rodríguez announced plans to reform Venezuela's hydrocarbon law, allowing foreign partners to work directly with the country's state-owned oil and gas company, PDVSA, rather than having a majority stake. This move aims to attract investment and improve the economic situation in the country.
Rodríguez also instructed her government to create two sovereign funds - one for social protection and another for infrastructure and social development. These reforms come as Trump's administration eyes opportunities in Venezuela, which holds the world's largest proven oil reserves.
The US president has promised to control sales of sanctioned Venezuelan oil "indefinitely" and has asked oil companies to invest at least $100bn (£75bn) in the country. However, one executive from a major American oil firm has expressed concerns that Venezuela is currently "uninvestable".
Rodríguez's address also highlighted the need for national unity as she warned of threats to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. She emphasized her willingness to engage diplomatically with the US but added that Venezuela will not back down in defending its dignity and honor.
The meeting between Rodríguez and Ratcliffe took place on the same day Trump met opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington, who presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize-winning medal. The two leaders have been engaged in a series of diplomatic efforts to address Venezuela's economic crisis and improve relations between the US and the country.
. Rodríguez seems like a total game changer - I mean, her reforms could totally turn the economy around 
. The whole thing with the sovereign funds is super interesting too... it'll be cool to see if they actually work 
. And can you believe Trump's team wants $100bn from Venezuela? That's wild 
. But for real though, Rodríguez's message about national unity and sovereignty feels like a major shift - we'll have to wait and see how that all plays out 
So I'm thinking, it's kinda weird that Trump sent his dude Ratcliffe to talk to Rodríguez without actually giving her some real help first 
It sounds like they're more interested in exploiting the country than actually fixing things. I mean, one executive from an American oil firm already said that Venezuela is "uninvestable" because of the sanctions and corruption... what's the point of sending someone over if you're not gonna offer some real support? 
And Rodríguez was trying to reform their hydrocarbon law just so America could get in on the action, which isn't exactly cool either 
. It feels like this whole thing is about Washington exerting its influence without really considering the long-term effects on the Venezuelan people...
think you can just swoop in and take over some oil? 
it's like you're trying to control a whole continent or something... 
and now Rodriguez is gonna make the oil company sell half their profits to Venezuela, that's just crazy talk! 
what's next? sending your army over there to "protect" them from themselves? 
but really its just about getting their hands on that oil 
anyway, delcy rodríguez seems like a reasonable human being, good for her for taking control of the situation and proposing reforms 
. And Rodgriguez is basically saying the US can come in and fix everything, but we all know how that works out 
. We'll have to wait and see if Rodríguez's reforms can actually attract the investment needed to turn things around 
. One thing's for sure though, the future of Venezuela (and its oil reserves) is going to be super interesting to watch 
!
. I mean, $100bn is a lot of money, but it feels like they're trying to exploit the country's resources rather than actually helping them out