Trump’s Push to Invest in Venezuela Gets a Tepid Response From Oil Executives

President Trump urged American and European oil executives to invest $100 billion in Venezuela's oil infrastructure, but they expressed reservations, citing the need for a stable government and legal changes. Executives from Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips highlighted past asset seizures and the current uninvestable nature of the country. While Chevron showed some optimism about improving existing infrastructure, Trump made it clear his administration would not compensate companies for past losses. The meeting occurred amidst broader U.S. actions in Venezuela, including boarding tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, which the administration claims provides leverage. Separately, Trump reiterated his threat to forcibly annex Greenland, citing strategic competition with Russia and China, and dismissed NATO's collective defense principles in this context. The document also touches upon the release of political prisoners in Venezuela, with families anxiously awaiting news, and the ongoing human rights concerns at facilities like El Helicoide. Pope Leo XIV condemned the global "zeal for war" and urged a return to international law and dialogue, implicitly referencing the geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela and Greenland. Trump also indicated he would meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who had offered him her Nobel Peace Prize.