US President Trump Announces Planned Visit to Venezuela Following Maduro Abduction

US President Donald Trump Announces Plans to Visit Venezuela

President Trump has stated his intention to visit Venezuela, a country he had targeted with crippling sanctions during his first term. The planned visit would make him the first sitting US president since 1997 to travel to South America.

Trump made the announcement as he departed the White House for a meeting with soldiers at Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina. He did not provide a specific date for the trip, stating that “we haven’t decided” on a timeline.

The visit would mark a significant development in US-Venezuela relations, which have been strained since Trump’s first term began in 2017. Earlier this week, Energy Secretary Chris Wright became the first member of Trump’s cabinet to visit Venezuela and meet with the government led by Delcy Rodriguez.

Trump has repeatedly praised Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, while downplaying the prospect of supporting an opposition figure following Maduro’s abduction. The US Department of the Treasury announced on Friday that it was easing some sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector, including two general licences that allow foreign companies to conduct oil and gas operations in the country.

The planned visit comes as lawmakers in Venezuela’s parliament debated a bill that would grant amnesty to political prisoners. The US has also been seeking $100bn in foreign investments in Venezuela, with Energy Secretary Wright stating that Venezuelan oil sales since Maduro’s capture had hit $1bn and were expected to reach $5bn in months.

Trump also praised the operation to abduct Maduro, saying “Everybody was running for the hills” and that the US has the strongest military in the world.

Source: Al Jazeera