Venezuela said on Friday it had launched talks with the United States on restoring diplomatic ties, days after US forces deposed Nicolas Maduro as its president.
It was the latest sign of cooperation following the leftist leader’s capture and US President Donald Trump’s claim to be “in charge” of the South American country.
Officials said US diplomats were in Caracas to discuss reopening the country’s embassy, while in Washington, Trump met with oil companies over his plans to access Venezuela’s huge crude reserves.
The government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez “has decided to initiate an exploratory diplomatic process with the government of the United States of America, aimed at re-establishing diplomatic missions in both countries,” Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said in a statement.
John McNamara, the top US diplomat in neighbouring Colombia, and other personnel “travelled to Caracas to conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations,” a US official said on customary condition of anonymity.
Venezuela said it would reciprocate by sending a delegation to Washington.
Rodriguez, in a statement, condemned “the serious, criminal, illegal and illegitimate attack” by the United States and vowed: “Venezuela will continue to confront this aggression through the diplomatic route.”
Trump vows oil investments
Trump said earlier on Friday that he had called off a second wave of attacks on Venezuela due to the prisoner releases.
The US president had suggested he might use force again to get his way in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
At a White House meeting on Friday, he pressed top oil executives to invest in Venezuela’s reserves, but was met with a cautious reception — with ExxonMobil chief executive Darren Woods dismissing the country as “uninvestable” without sweeping reforms.
Trump said foreign firms had enjoyed no meaningful protections under Maduro, “but now you have total security. It’s a whole different Venezuela.”
He also stressed that the companies would deal only with Washington, not Caracas, when exploiting Venezuela’s oil resources.
Trump earlier said that oil companies promised to invest $100 billion in Venezuela, whose oil infrastructure is creaky after years of mismanagement and sanctions.
He had earlier announced a plan for the United States to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, with the money to be used at his discretion.
He promised any funds sent to Caracas would be used to buy only US-made products.
In the meantime, Washington has maintained maritime pressure on oil tankers in the Caribbean, where it seized a fifth tanker carrying Venezuelan crude — oil that would be sold, Trump said.
