Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez has pledged to organize free elections in her country. She stated this to the American media outlet NBC, reported Agence France-Presse.
In response to a question about whether she is committed to holding fair and free elections in Venezuela, Rodriguez said "Yes, absolutely". She then added that "Organizing fair and free elections in Venezuela would mean that this is a free country where justice prevails, where there are also no sanctions, a country that is not under the pressure of international intimidation or is not harassed by the foreign press".
The opposition boycotted the parliamentary elections in Venezuela last year. And in the summer of 2024, some 2,400 people were arrested and 28 killed during the violent crackdown on protests against the re-election of Nicolas Maduro as president in elections that the opposition says were flawed.
At the same time, parliament postponed a second reading of the country's general amnesty law proposed by Rodriguez. The postponement was necessary due to a lack of consensus on some articles of the legislation.
Venezuela's state oil company "Petroleos de Venezuela" is in talks with many of its joint venture partners to offer them expansion of the oil fields they have been granted, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
The move could help boost crude oil and natural gas production and exports.
In late January, Venezuela's National Assembly approved a sweeping reform of the country's basic oil law that gives foreign oil companies the autonomy to operate, export and receive cash sales revenue, even if they remain minority partners in joint ventures with Venezuela's state oil company.
The reform gives Venezuela's oil ministry, the state oil company and their business partners six months to renegotiate the terms of their joint projects.
Among the companies currently in talks with Venezuela's state oil company are American and European firms that currently operate in the country, the sources said.