United News of Bangladesh

Yaxzodara Lozada awoke shivering on Tuesday after spending the night on the sidewalk outside a Caracas prison, clinging to the hope that her husband, a police officer detained on Nov. 17, would be released under a goodwill measure announced by the government last week. Despite signs that daily life in Venezuela is slowly returning to normal, with shopping centers, schools and gyms reopening, the government’s pledge to release jailed opposition members, activists and journalists has moved far more slowly than expected, drawing growing criticism. The reopening comes a week after a dramatic U.S. operation that resulted in the detention of President Nicolás Maduro. Families of more than 800 people whom human rights groups classify as political prisoners began assembling outside detention centers on Thursday, following an announcement by acting President Delcy Rodríguez that a substantial number of detainees would be freed as a “peace-seeking” gesture. Authorities, however, have not disclosed how many prisoners would be released or who would qualify, leaving advocacy groups scrambling for information and relatives in limbo. Read More: Slow pace marks third day of prisoner releases in Venezuela after government goodwill pledge By Monday afternoon, the legal group Foro Penal confirmed that 49 detainees had been released, including several foreign nationals. That same day, the White House confirmed an upcoming meeting between opposition leader María Corina Machado and U.S. President Donald Trump, who said the releases occurred at Washington’s request. While welcoming the releases, the UN-backed fact-finding mission said the number freed falls well short of demands for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners. Outside prisons, families slept on sidewalks awaiting news, contrasting sharply with the government’s push to project stability as schools reopened under heightened security. Officials emphasized resilience and optimism, even as relatives described fear, uncertainty and anguish over loved ones they have not seen for weeks.

The United States and Venezuela said on Friday that they are considering steps toward restoring diplomatic relations, following a visit by a delegation from the Trump administration to the South American country. The visit represents a significant shift in relations between the two longtime rivals. It follows last weekend’s dramatic U.S. military operation in which former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized from his residence in Caracas and flown to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges. According to the State Department, a small group of U.S. diplomats, accompanied by security personnel, traveled to Venezuela to conduct an initial evaluation of whether the U.S. Embassy in Caracas could reopen. Venezuela’s government said it plans to send its own delegation to the United States, though no timeline was announced. Any such visit would likely require the U.S. Treasury Department to temporarily lift sanctions. The administration of acting President Delcy Rodríguez said it had decided to launch an exploratory diplomatic process with Washington aimed at restoring embassies in both countries. Rodríguez faces a delicate political situation, balancing pressure from the Trump administration while also trying to maintain the support of Venezuelan military hardliners angered by Maduro’s capture. Her remarks on Friday reflected that tension. She said she had spoken by phone with the leftist leaders of Brazil, Colombia, and Spain, during which she condemned what she described as Washington’s “serious, criminal, illegal, and illegitimate aggression” against Venezuela. Later, during a televised appearance at the opening of a women’s health clinic in central Caracas, Rodríguez stressed that engagement with the Trump administration was the best way to protect Venezuela’s stability and even work toward “the return of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.” Read More: Jack Ryan clip resurfaces amid Maduro’s capture “We will engage directly through diplomacy to defend Venezuela’s peace, stability, future, independence, and our sacred and non-negotiable sovereignty,” Rodríguez said, without specifically addressing the possible reopening of the U.S. Embassy. President Donald Trump has sought to pressure Rodríguez and other remaining allies of Maduro to support his vision of greater U.S. influence over Venezuela’s oil exports. Venezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world. The United States and Venezuela cut diplomatic ties in 2019 during Trump’s first term, after Washington recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate president — a move that infuriated Maduro. That same year, the Trump administration closed the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and relocated its diplomats to Bogotá, Colombia. Since then, visits by U.S. officials to Venezuela have been rare. The most recent visit before this week occurred in February, when Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, met with Maduro, leading to the release of six detained Americans.

Starlink has announced it will provide free broadband internet services across Venezuela until February 3, following the recent U.S. operation that led to the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. The satellite internet service, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, said in a post on X that it is committed to ensuring “continued connectivity” for Venezuelans. The country has long faced internet restrictions, with previous governments blocking platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram during periods of unrest. Starlink delivers mobile broadband through a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites, enabling internet access even in areas with limited infrastructure. Internet monitoring group Netblocks reported a sudden loss of connectivity in parts of Caracas on Saturday, which it said coincided with power outages during the U.S. military operation. Local media also reported that several areas of the capital were experiencing internet blackouts. Venezuelans question leadership after Maduro’s capture The move by Starlink is expected to help restore communication for residents amid ongoing uncertainty and disruptions to power and digital services across the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has authorized the dispatch of oxygen to Brazil to help its South American neighbor treat people sickened amid another wave of the coronavirus, despite frosty relations between the two governments and Venezuela’s own lack of hospital supplies.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Friday that authorities haven't detained opposition leader Juan Guaidó because the courts haven't ordered it, but he warned: "It will come."

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó faces an internal test of his authority in a key vote Sunday as he campaigns to oust President Nicolás Maduro and end Venezuela's economic and humanitarian crisis.