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CNN reports that Trump's Grenell is expected to meet Venezuelan Maduro this Friday.

CNN, citing an insider familiar with the situation, reported that Richard Grenell, the envoy of U.S. president Donald Trump, is scheduled to meet Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela on Friday.

Could not verify immediately the meeting.

Trump said that his administration will likely stop purchasing oil from Venezuela, and is looking at Venezuela "very closely"

Grenell, Trump’s special mission envoy, said earlier that he had spoken with several officials in Venezuela, and would start meetings days after the Biden administration, which is leaving office, imposed new sanctions against the government of Maduro.

Grenell, in a posting on X, revealed his first calls. "Diplomacy is now back," Grenell stated. "Talking is tactic."

During his election campaign, Trump referred to Maduro as a dictator. He had pursued an "maximum-pressure" campaign against him from his first term in 2017-2021, which included imposing harsh sanctions on South America and its oil sector.

Joe Biden, the former president of the United States, temporarily lifted some restrictions from the Trump era following Maduro's electoral promises. He then restored them after claiming that Maduro had broken his promise to hold a democratic election.

The Financial Times reported on Friday that Chevron was trying to protect its special U.S. operating license in Venezuela.

Mike Wirth told the newspaper that the oil giant would be in contact with the White House following Marco Rubio's statement as Trump's Secretary of State. Rubio said the license needed to be reconsidered.

Wirth stated that if Chevron was forced to leave, China and Russia would gain influence in OPEC nations.

Venezuelan oil exports to America soared by 64% last year to 222,000 barrels per day, making the U.S. its second largest export market after China. China took 351,000 barrels per day, down 18% from the previous year. (Reporting and editing by David Ljunggren, Alistair Bell and Susan Heavey)

(source: Reuters)