CNN first reported that Richard Grenell was due to arrive in Caracas on Friday, to discuss a deal on deportations with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.

The year 2024 was a rocky one for Venezuela’s oil sector. Production, investment, and exports grew, yet facing many challenges and uncertainty.

On 20 January, Richard Grenell announced on social media that he was speaking to “officials in Venezuela.” He added that “diplomacy is back,” and “talking is a tactic.”

On 10 January, Venezuela’s incumbent president Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third term, amidst accusations of electoral fraud.

Between 12 and 13 December, Caracas hosted Shenzhen University’s special economic zones forum. The Venezuelan government used the occasion to announce new plans for the two-year-old special economic zones regime.

On Tuesday, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez presented a $22.7 billion national budget for 2025 at the National Assembly.

Venezuela would be discreetly launching a mass privatisation programme, according to various sources who claim to have information on the matter.

On Wednesday, Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and PDVSA CEO Hector Obregon outlined plans for the sector at the Cámara Petrolera’s 2024 conference.

On 28 October, Minister of Industry Alex Saab said that Venezuela should pursue a policy of import substitution, and also aim to be a leading exporter in the region.

The United Nations Development Programme has upgraded its growth forecast for Venezuela this year, in its Second Quarter report published on 7 October.

A court in Trinidad and Tobago approved sending PDVSA payments from the island nation to ConocoPhillips, to cover the $1.33bn claim against the Venezuelan state-owned oil company.

On 23 September, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez held a meeting with Repsol executives, with the backdrop of tense relations between Madrid and Caracas.

On 19 September, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro announced changes in the administrations relating to trade and ports, as he spoke to the Productive Economy Council.

On 29 August Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced reforms to encourage growth in the financial sector.

On 29 August, the Central Bank of Venezuela said that the national economy grew by 8.8% in the second quarter of this year, and 8.4% in the first quarter.

Early on Monday morning, the head of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council Elvis Amoroso sparked an international backlash by declaring President Nicolás Maduro as the winner of Sunday’s election.

Venezuela’s crude oil production continued to increase in June, according to the latest OPEC report released on Wednesday. Output has been on a trend of slow yet sustained growth for two years.

On 28 June, the United Nations Development Programme released its forecast of 4.2% economic growth for Venezuela.

Speaking at the Andesco business association conference, Ecopetrol CEO Ricardo Roa presented a 10-year plan to ensure a stable natural gas supply for Colombia, which includes imports from Venezuela from 2025.