OFAC continues issuing licenses authorizing oil and gas production, exploration and commercialization in Venezuela, in addition to several previous licenses issued during last few weeks. OFAC has issued general license 49: which approves contingent negotiations, operations, tenders, bidding and other such activities necessary for inclusion of new business participants in Venezuelan oil and gas industry, excepting nationals or persons related to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Cuba. Payments must be channelized through foreign deposits sovereign funds. OFAC license 50 is an example of application of license 49 as it explicitly allows Chevron, Repsol, ENI, British Petroleum and Shell to increase their presence in Venezuela. Other companies that are in process of securing participation in Venezuelan petroleum business such as Maurel & Prom, whose executives recently met with honorable president Delcy Rodríguez, are expected to be awarded fresh licenses as well.
Department of State felt necessary to issue a press release explaining breadth and scope of so many licenses, as we already have license 46, 46A, 47, 48, 49, 50, 30 B, and 5U, all of which have been already discussed on previous occasions. Venezuela’s oil and gas sector is basically open for business: as sanctions that previously plagued this sector are now addressed by approval of all of these licenses: which individually tackle most of previous prohibitions. Donald Trump has already received reports from recent fantastic trip into Venezuela from Secretary Chris Wright. And now President Donald Trump is enthusiastic about visiting Venezuela. Therefore, we have on agenda a state visit of Honorable President Delcy Rodríguez into United States. and another visit of honorable President Donald Trump into Venezuela. It is unclear which of such visits will occur first.
Dozens of political prisoners were released on Friday while Jorge Rodriguez went again to Zona Siete: to address protesters who started a hunger strike. They are disappointed that Amnesty Law has not been approved yet. Venezuela’s polarization is such that extreme points of view coexist simultaneously. Critics disqualify Venezuela’s National Assembly: as it is perceived as a body of legislation that just meets, applauds, and approves legislation without a debate. While last Thursday’s debate addressed core issue of detained persons: as either criminals or innocents who need to be either released or pardoned. Depending if you are supporter of the government or supporter of the opposition, perception of legal situation of such prisoners varies. Further discussion is needed into carnival, so that National Assembly meets next Thursday to continue approving remaining half of articles belonging to Law of Amnesty.
Extremist politicians have issued instruction to families of political prisoners to engage in hunger strikes: as their maximalist petition of having everyone released immediately has not been obtained. While last week Jorge Rodríguez expressed possibility that political prisoners would have been released yesterday. That was under assumption that Amnesty Law would be approved which has not been the case. Such law is still under discussion and is expected to be approved with modifications on Thursday, February 18th. Perhaps politicians, who have designed strategy of instructing families of political prisoners to initiate hunger strike: have calculated that one week without eating is not enough time for a person to die. Family members of political prisoners, instead of initiating a hunger strike that would provide them more hardship than they already are, should actually prioritize staying healthy: so that they can provide adequate support to their beloved ones as they will be released from prison, some of them in questionable health or spirits.
Carnival will be a suitable opportunity for people to relax and take a few days: to digest all the information that has occurred nonstop during 2026. Many crucial developments, regarding OFAC licenses and accounting of opportunities or projects involving Venezuelan oil and gas sector, and possible incursions into Venezuela’s national economy, have not yet been digested by general population. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright emphasizes fact that there are already billions of dollars being handled by foreign deposits sovereign fund: managed by the United States in Qatar. It is being brought to Secretary Wright’s attention that most of that money has yet to enter Venezuela’s banking system. Further OFAC licenses will be needed to normalize Venezuelan banking industry. Swift transfers and most activities relating Venezuelan banking sector with international banking sector remain prohibited.
Mining sector which includes coltan, gold and rare earth remains a mystery. Not enough research has been made and requires additional attention: as private companies will start making use of licenses. Politicians will have ample time available to address minerals sector which is as promising as petroleum. Education sector in Venezuela is highly depressed. Many professors and teachers are literally starving: as education is perceived to be free and nobody wishes to pay administrative or professional fees to teachers and educational businesses. While state has also been criticized for providing funding to schools that do not fulfill their job, they only sit down children with no lectures or courses provided.
Road construction industry will also be crucial: especially at the Orinoco belt where facilities for uniting various sites are isolated and lacking electrical, sewage, internet and amenities. Cultural recreational activities such as tourism are contingent on residents earning further income, to distribute along rest of economy. Donald Trump’s forthcoming visit into Venezuela provides questions. Where would Donald Trump choose to stay overnight? There are few five-star hotels. However, none of them is expected to standards Trump has traditionally provided to his brand. Perhaps Donald Trump wants to create a Trump Tower in Caracas or elsewhere in Venezuela: as he will certainly complain about deficient accommodations provided by Venezuela’s best hotels which are not used to receiving such kind of celebrities.
It is also uncertain to assess what kinds of public events will be made available for general public to see Donald Trump: as most Donald Trump supporters were perceived to come from Venezuelan opposition. While Trump is dealing with the Venezuelan government, Trump has already specified that honorable President Delcy Rodríguez is legitimate president. It sounds like issue of presidential elections in Venezuela is gone, both by constitutional mandate which requires Delcy Rodríguez to finish Nicolás Maduro’s term on January 10th, 2031 and by conscious admission of President Donald Trump that dealing with Honorable President Delcy Rodríguez is one of most exciting and fantastic opportunities of in his entire life.
Venezuelan opposition is requested to regroup, reorganize, or plan alternative strategies in order to choose a suitable presidential candidate for 2030 presidential elections. María Machado is accused of treason to homeland. She is liable of having supported United States invasion into Venezuela. She has supported economic blockades and sanctions that have negatively affected Venezuela’s economy. All of these charges are pending and Venezuela’s authorities are expected to detain María Machado so that she can bring responses and clarifications to Venezuela’s judicial system should she come back from exile.
Terms of amnesty law are still being discussed. We don’t know if prisoners will finally be released, pardoned, or if their crimes will be erased, or if they will be required to show up at tribunals every few weeks. Positions between opposition and government for the time being remain irreconcilable. These holidays should provide peace of mind so that deputies at National Assembly can get an agreement. Opposition deputies warned that they could have voted against or abstained on article 7. However, main goal is that Amnesty Law is approved unanimously. Officialist votes are sufficient to approve any law in Venezuela, as Venezuela’s opposition has a small representation in National Assembly due to prior campaigns that emphasized voter abstention which is now perceived as a political mistake.
Strength of officialist regime in Venezuela can be partly explained by a series of mistakes provided by the Venezuelan opposition during last few years. Venezuela’s opposition has been used to promoting chaos. An orderly path for economic prosperity is being formed in United States for benefit of Venezuela. Many opposition figures are now playing against United States, as they need Venezuelans to remain poor so that they can hear promises from opposition politicians who would claim that they will improve things for Venezuelans, while things are already being improved by governments of United States and Venezuela: in conjunction with their petroleum deals.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright was provided a musical performance of Joropo with traditional Venezuelan instruments. If Donald Trump were to arrive into Venezuela, he would be expected to attend an even more impressive musical show. However, it would be unlikely that it would reach the heights seen on recent visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where Donald Trump was treated with hours and hours of traditional Arab dances and music. Venezuelans will be waiting for enormous deals that will be signed between Donald Trump and Delcy Rodríguez that will probably amount to tens of billions of dollars. Perhaps the $100 billion figure originally promised will be reached.
Venezuelans must plan how we will either invest or spend our money. Venezuela is a country that historically, when it received a huge amount of money, everything was wasted and people just indulged in addictive consumption. It is necessary that Venezuelans learn a conservative investment culture so that sovereign funds would shield us for next period of a sudden decrease of oil prices, as a standard procedure seen in other petroleum countries such as in Norway. Sovereign Funds should be replicated in Venezuela. In short term, people in favor of economic development should stay away from opposition politicians: who are blocking Donald Trump’s attempts to make Venezuela and America great again. as there is certainly no better alternative available and Venezuelans should not be condemned to eternal misery.
We had a great thinker in the 20th century named Arturo Uslar Pietri who suggested that we need to sew the seeds of oil. That is exactly what we must do during 21st century: as we failed to adequately invest and consume, our previous riches became current misery due to various failures and mismanagements contingent to entire Venezuelan society, which hopefully has already learned the lesson and will not make same mistakes again. Embassy of United States is providing humanitarian aid which has already arrived into Maiquetía airport yesterday. It is unclear how such aid will be distributed, as corruption and robbery have been so entrenched into Venezuelan culture that teaching virtuous values to society overnight is quite a challenge.
Responsible citizenry have opportunity of advocating for a judicious use of public and private funds. Therefore, it is necessary to slow down volume and tone of political accusations: as hatred between Venezuelans should be disallowed. Venezuela has a Law against Hate which should be implemented: as there are professional haters who make a living destroying reputations of their political opponents. There is certainly a number of agreements that must be reached fast, before Donald Trump lands into Maiquetía airport for a historic state visit that will change relevance of union of all Americas.
Rubén Rivero