Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, detained in New York, broke his prolonged silence on August 30 by posting photos from his Brooklyn prison facility, days after his successor Delcy Rodríguez finalized a sweeping 25-year energy agreement with the United States. The deal targets the development of 17 strategic oilfields with the goal of exceeding 1.5 million barrels per day, up from Venezuela’s current output of roughly 1.25 million bpd. Projected revenue for the Venezuelan state amounts to approximately $209 billion, calculated against a $65-per-barrel oil price benchmark. The agreement gives the United States majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven reserves, with President Donald Trump calling it the « BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY. » Maduro, shown visibly slimmer in photos, declared he was « standing firm » and invoked divine support for Venezuela’s recovery.
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