Overview
- The National Assembly approved in a first reading a bill that would allow private companies domiciled in Venezuela to directly exploit oil under contract, ending the state’s exclusive control.
- The Guardian reported that Rodríguez and U.S. officials began secret contacts in autumn 2025 via Qatari intermediaries, a claim Venezuelan authorities have denied.
- U.S. officials said they seized a tanker in the Caribbean, the seventh operation since a December policy targeting sanctioned vessels linked to Venezuela.
- NGOs report roughly 150 of more than 800 political prisoners have been released, while families demand proof of life for detainees whose whereabouts remain unknown.
- Rodríguez moved to consolidate control over the security apparatus by appointing 12 new regional military commanders following earlier changes in her protection and counterintelligence leadership.