Venezuela began releasing some political prisoners Thursday, as the country’s new leaders seek to stay in Washington’s good graces while maintaining their grip on power.
Domestic and international observers are watching for signs that Venezuela could soften its crackdown on dissent following Nicolás Maduro’s ouster. Democratic reforms should be “the unquestionable measure of success” for the US’ intervention in Venezuela, a Bloomberg columnist argued.
The Trump administration is counting on US capital to rebuild Venezuela’s economy, and while American firms, so far, don’t appear to see the troubled country as a home-run market, lobbyists see an opening: “This is not Iraq. This is not Syria,” one told Semafor.