Nicolás Maduro resurfaces on social media after US-Venezuela energy pact

Nicolás Maduro, the former Venezuelan president currently detained in New York, broke a prolonged silence on August 30 by posting photos and messages from his Brooklyn prison facility. The timing was notable: his reappearance came shortly after interim President Delcy Rodríguez finalized a sweeping 25-year energy agreement with the United States. The photos showed a noticeably slimmer Maduro wearing a gray tracksuit, taken on June 25. His accompanying messages struck an optimistic tone, declaring he was “standing firm” and invoking divine support for Venezuela’s recovery. The deal that changed the backdrop Rodríguez, who assumed the interim presidency following Maduro’s capture, signed a bilateral energy agreement targeting the development of 17 strategic oilfields across Venezuela. The production goal is ambitious: exceeding 1.5 million barrels per day, a figure that would represent a significant jump from Venezuela’s current output of roughly 1.25 million bpd. The projected revenue for the Venezuelan state sits at approximately $209 billion, calculated against a $65-per-barrel oil price benchmark. That works out to about $19 per barrel flowing back to Venezuela’s coffers. US Pres...