WASHINGTON, Jan 09 (Agencies): US President Donald Trump said Friday the world's biggest oil companies pledged to invest $100 billion to revive Venezuela's oil sector as he prepared for a meeting with top industry executives.
US forces seized Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a sweeping military operation on January 3, with Trump making no secret that control of Venezuela's oil was at the heart of his actions.
"At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House," Trump wrote on his social media platform ahead of the gathering, where he was expected to convince the oil heads to support his plans in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said that it is running Venezuela, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday asserting that Washington will control the country's oil industry "indefinitely."
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro's deputy, has said that her government remains in charge, with the state-run oil firm saying only that it was in negotiations with the United States on oil sales.
In his social media post, Trump said he cancelled a second wave of strikes on Venezuela due to what he called "cooperation" from the country.
He noted Venezuela began releasing political prisoners this week and said the countries are "working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding... their oil and gas infrastructure."
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump will meet Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington next week, he said Thursday, adding that she intends to give him her Nobel Peace Prize, which he has long coveted.
The meeting would be the first between the US president and Machado, who left hiding in Venezuela to accept the award in Oslo last year, and comes just over a week after US forces toppled her rival, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.
"I understand she's coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview.
Trump said last week that Machado does not have the respect or support within Venezuela to lead the country and has since suggested the US could effectively control Venezuela for years.
He told Fox News on Thursday that the South American country, currently led by Maduro's vice president, interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, was not in a position to hold fresh elections.
"We have to rebuild the country. They couldn't have an election," he said.
"They wouldn't even know how to have an election right now."
Machado has offered to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump, and the president indicated she might give him her award when they meet.
"I understand she wants to do that. That would be a great honor," Trump said.
Earlier, Venezuela began releasing a "large number" of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in a move praised by US President Donald Trump on Friday as a step toward cooperation after the ouster of ruler Nicolas Maduro.
The releases, which started Thursday, are the first since Maduro's former deputy Delcy Rodriguez took over with the backing of Trump, who says he is content to let her govern as long as she gives Washington access to oil.
In a social media post on Friday, Trump said the move was a sign of "Seeking Peace" and called it "a very important and smart gesture".
He added that the United States and Venezuela were "working well together" and said he canceled a second wave of strikes against the country as a result of their "cooperation".
Former Venezuelan opposition candidate Enrique Marquez-who opposed Nicolas Maduro in the contested 2024 presidential election-was among those released Thursday.
