Trump Cancels Scheduled Second Round of Attacks on Venezuela

Trump Cancels Planned Attacks on Venezuela

On Friday, President Donald Trump revealed he was canceling a second wave of military actions against Venezuela, attributing this decision to improved cooperation with the interim government in the country.

This news arrived just one week following a U.S. operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Previously, Trump indicated there was a potential for further strikes. However, he announced that these actions were now unnecessary as the new Venezuelan regime was cooperating effectively with the U.S. on projects aimed at repairing oil and gas infrastructure and releasing a notable number of political prisoners.

Nevertheless, Trump emphasized that the United States would retain oversight over Venezuela until it achieved full stability. He stated, “The United States and Venezuela work well together, especially regarding rebuilding our oil and gas infrastructure in a better and more modern way.”

In a related development, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez mentioned on Thursday that their government plans to release numerous foreign and Venezuelan prisoners.

Trump’s announcement was made shortly after he had indicated that preparations were underway for targeting drug cartel sites in Venezuela. While the second wave of attacks has been scrapped, he noted that U.S. naval resources would remain positioned in the region for now.

Meanwhile, the administration’s strategy may encounter challenges in Congress, where the Senate just passed a bipartisan resolution that could restrict any future military engagements in Venezuela without Congressional consent. There will be a final vote in the Senate next week, but it’s unclear if House Republican leaders will advance the bill for consideration.

Following the arrest of Maduro on charges of drug terrorism, Trump’s administration decided to back Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, as an interim leader rather than backing opposition figure Maria Corina Machado. This decision was reportedly influenced by assessments from U.S. intelligence indicating regime insiders were better positioned to foster short-term stability.

Previously, Trump described Machado as “unpopular” within Venezuela but mentioned interest in meeting her next week. “I hear she’s going to be somewhere next week. I’m looking forward to saying hello,” Trump stated.

Since Maduro’s removal, Trump has shown increased interest in Venezuelan oil. Recently, he stated that U.S. authorities would have access to up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, and he suggested that investments from major oil companies could reach $100 billion in the country.