The ousted president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, claims that he feels good in prison in the United States, reported Agence France-Presse. This is clear from a video with the son of former leader Nicolas Maduro Guerra, which was published by the ruling United Socialist Party in Venezuela.
"We are doing well. We are fighters," Maduro said, quoted by his son Nicolas.
Maduro and his wife are awaiting trial in the United States after being taken out of Venezuela in a US military operation a week ago.
The US State Department has urged Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, Agence France-Presse reported. The department said in a statement that it was concerned about armed militias called collegitos who were stopping cars and searching them for US citizens or evidence of support for the US.
"The security situation in Venezuela remains volatile," the US State Department said a week after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was ousted and taken out of the country by US troops.
"With international flights now back in service, US citizens should leave immediately country," the State Department said.
In Venezuela, Italian energy giant "ENI" (ENI) produces gas for domestic consumption and has a nominal loan of approximately $3 billion owed to it by Venezuelan state-owned oil and gas company PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela, Sociedad Anonima).
In the South American country, "ENI" produces gas entirely for the state and for electricity generation. The company operates an offshore field in a 50/50 consortium with Spanish company "Repsol" (Repsol).
In 2024, net production in the South American country amounted to 62,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, which is approximately 3.5% of the group's total production.
The Italian news agency Agenzia Nova recalls that in March 2025, the US administration imposed sanctions that effectively deprived "ENI" of the possibility of paying for gas production with oil deliveries. This ultimately led to a total nominal loan of around $3 billion from the Venezuelan state company PDVSA to "ENI".
In an interview with RAI 1, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani explained that "ENI"'s position in Venezuela and the credits it holds for gas production will be the subject of negotiations with Venezuela and the Americans".