Venezuela Crisis

Opposition leader Machado to return to Venezuela in next few weeks

Venezuelan opposition leader and winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize Maria Corina Machado said on Sunday that she will return to Venezuela in the coming weeks and that elections will be held in the South American country. Machado did not set a date for her return but said that one of the objectives will be to prepare "for a new and gigantic electoral victory." In a message shared on social media, the politician called on her supporters to "strengthen the unity of Venezuelans that began with the primaries," a reference to the 2023 process in which she won the vote aimed at establishing a single candidate to compete at the polls against former President Nicolas Maduro. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez in power since Maduro and his wife were captured in a US military operation in January - has warned that Machado "will have to answer" if she returns to the country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that change in Venezuela must go through phases of stabilisation, economic .

Venezuela releases over 3,200 people since amnesty law took effect

A special commission of Venezuela's National Assembly announced Tuesday that over 3,200 people have been fully released since the amnesty law took effect four days ago. This group includes both former detainees and those previously under house arrest or other restrictive measures. Lawmaker Jorge Arreaza, who leads the commission overseeing the amnesty law, said in a news conference that authorities have already received 4,203 applications for the program. He said that after evaluating these requests, 3,052 people previously under house arrest or other restrictive measures have been granted full freedom. Additionally, another 179 individuals who were in prison have also been released. In the days after the Jan 3 capture of then-President Nicolas Maduro, Rodriguez's government announced it would release a significant number of prisoners. However, relatives and human rights watchdogs have criticised the slow pace of releases and the restrictive conditions under which many have been ...

Venezuela approves amnesty bill that could free many political prisoners

Venezuela's legislature on Thursday approved an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of politicians, activists, lawyers and many others, effectively acknowledging that the government has held hundreds of people in prison for political motivations. The approval marks a stark turn for the South American nation, whose authorities have for decades denied holding any political prisoners. It is the latest policy reversal following last month's stunning U.S. military raid in the country's capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolas Maduro. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who proposed the bill late last month, is expected to sign the measure, which outlines the eligibility and exclusions for people to be granted amnesty, and therefore, be released after months or years of being in custody. "It's not perfect, but it's a great step forward," opposition lawmaker Nora Bracho said during the debate. "It will alleviate the suffering of many Venezuelans." The measure is expected

Bharat Petroleum, HPCL Mittal buy Venezuelan oil amid crude sourcing shift

The crude was bought in two separate deals and will be co-loaded on a very large crude carrier to cut shipping costs, lifting India's Venezuelan imports to at least 6 million barrels through April

Cuba fuel crisis deepens as Trump tightens screws after Venezuela raid

Washington's tariff threat against oil suppliers is squeezing Cuba's energy lifeline, grounding flights and forcing rationing measures as Havana seeks support from partners including Brics states

Maduro raid shows 'full might of US military', means 'we are feared': Trump

President Donald Trump celebrated the special forces members who ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, saying last month's audacious raid means "the entire world saw what the full military might" of the US can do and ensured "we are feared" by potential enemies around the world. Addressing soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg, one of the world's largest military bases, Trump declared, "Your commander in chief supports you totally." Then, drawing on one of his own campaign slogans, he implored them, "When needed, you're going to fight, fight, fight. You're going to win, win, win." The president and first lady Melania Trump also met privately with military families. But the visit felt more like a political rally than an official visit to celebrate the US armed forces. Trump's lauding of the raid that toppled Maduro came only after he called to the stage Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair who has the president's endorsement as he now runs for Senate

Reliance Industries likely to get licence from US for Venezuelan oil

A general licence authorises the purchase, exportation, and sale of Venezuelan-origin oil that has already been extracted, including the refining of such oil

Trump admin allows US oilfield contractors to work in Venezuelan fields

The license issued by the Treasury Department allows US firms to explore, develop and produce oil and natural gas in Venezuela under certain limited conditions

Venezuela's Machado says close ally kidnapped after prison release

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Monday said one of her closest allies was kidnapped hours after being released from prison. The government had released several prominent opposition members from prison on Sunday after lengthy politically motivated detentions. Machado said on social media that Juan Pablo Guanipa was taken around midnight in a residential neighbourhood of the capital, Caracas. "Heavily armed men, dressed in civilian clothes, arrived in four vehicles and violently took him away," she posted on X. "We demand his immediate release." The releases of the opposition figures came as the government of acting President Delcy Rodriguez has faced mounting pressure to free hundreds of people whose detentions months or years ago have been linked to their political activities. The releases also followed a visit to Venezuela of representatives of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. The government's press office did not immediately respond to a request

Venezuela frees several opposition members as prisoner releases continue

Under mounting pressure from the US to free political prisoners, rights group Foro Penal said some 35 political prisoners were released on Sunday and that it was verifying additional cases

Families protest detention of Venezuelan activists, demand their release

Dozens of relatives and friends of Venezuelan opposition leaders, human rights defenders and others detained for their political activities protested Saturday outside a notorious prison in the capital to demand the immediate release of their loved ones. The demonstration outside Helicoide prison in Caracas comes during mounting pressure on the government of acting President Delcy Rodriguez to release all people whose detentions months or years ago have been linked by their families and nongovernmental organisations to their political beliefs. Her government last month announced it would free a significant number of prisoners, but families and human rights watchdogs have criticised authorities for the slow pace of the releases. Rodriguez last month also promised to close Helicoide, where torture and other forms of physical and psychological abuse of prisoners have been extensively documented. She said the facility, which was initially built to be a mall, would be turned into a ...

US envoy arrives in Venezuela to reopen diplomatic mission after 7 years

US Ambassador Laura Dogu arrived in Caracas on Saturday to reopen the American diplomatic mission in Venezuela after seven years of severed ties. The move comes almost one month after a military action ordered by US President Donald Trump removed the South American country's then-leader Nicolas Maduro from office. "My team and I are ready to work," Dogu said in a message posted by the US Embassy in Venezuela 's account on X. It also posted pictures of her upon her landing at Maiquetia airport. Venezuela and the United States broke off diplomatic relations in February 2019 in a decision by Maduro and closed their embassies mutually after Trump gave public support to lawmaker Juan Guaido in his claim to be the nation's interim president in January of that year. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, one of Venezuela's most powerful politicians and a Maduro loyalist, said earlier in January that reopening the US embassy would give the Venezuelan government a way to oversee the treatment

US pitches Venezuelan crude to India as its Russian oil imports fall

The US effort to supply Venezuelan crude to India comes as Washington also seeks to reduce Russian oil revenues that are funding the war in Ukraine

PM Modi speaks to Venezuela's acting president on deepening bilateral ties

This was the first time the two leaders spoke since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States

US eases sanctions, issues license for oil firms to operate in Venezuela

The license covers variety of activities that could expedite the movement of Venezuelan oil, including exporting, selling, storing, refining that oil, as long as the work is performed by a US entity

Venezuela passes major oil law reform, opening doors for foreign firms

The overhaul also enables authorities to lower taxes and royalties paid to the government, although Petroleos de Venezuela will remain under state ownership

Trump says Venezuelan airspace to reopen, Americans can visit soon

President Donald Trump said Thursday he has informed Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, that he will open up all commercial airspace over the Venezuela and Americans will soon be able to visit Trump said he instructed his transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, and US military leaders to take steps to open the airspace for travel by the end of the day. "American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they'll be safe there," the Republican president said. Venezuela's government did not immediately comment. While the State Department continued to warn Americans against travelling to Venezuela, at least one US airline announced its intention to soon resume direct flights between the countries. American Airlines was the last US airline flying to Venezuela when it suspended flights in 2019 that it operated between Miami and the capital, Caracas, as well as the oil hub city of Maracaibo. The airline said Thursday it would share additional details about the

US ready to use force to ensure Venezuela's cooperation, says Marco Rubio

The hearing marks Rubio's first appearance before Congress since the US raid on Caracas that led to Nicolás Maduro's capture on January 3

Offers of Venezuelan oil limited, most going to US, say Indian refiners

Indian refiners say only small volumes of Venezuelan crude are being offered as most supplies are directed to the United States