Washington, DC [US], January 9 : US President Donald Trump on Thursday stated that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is likely to visit Washington, DC, next week and that he expects to meet her during the visit.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump said, "I understand she's coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her, and I've heard that she wants to do that."
The remarks follow Trump's recent public comments on Machado's political position in Venezuela. Addressing reporters earlier, the US President described her as a "very nice woman," but said she "doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country" required to lead the nation.
Trump said the anticipated meeting would mark his first interaction with Machado, adding that she had previously said she had not spoken to him since receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in October last year.
Machado, for her part, had earlier said on the Fox News programme Hannity that she wanted to "personally" thank Trump for the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Commenting on the broader situation in Venezuela, Trump said the country would need extensive rebuilding, arguing that its democratic systems had broken down. "We have to rebuild the country. They couldn't have an election," he said, adding, "They wouldn't even know how to have an election right now."
Trump also linked political reconstruction with economic recovery, saying he would meet oil executives at the White House on Friday and signalling a major role for energy companies in reviving Venezuela's oil industry.
He said the firms would be responsible for restoring the country's energy infrastructure. "They're going to rebuild the whole oil infrastructure. They're going to spend at least USD 100 billion and it's an unbelievable oil that they have, and an unbelievable quality of oil and amount of oil," Trump said.
Venezuela possesses the largest proven oil reserves globally but accounts for under one per cent of worldwide production. Trump said on Tuesday that the country could supply between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, a deal he said could be valued at up to USD 2.8 billion at current prices.
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