Nicolás Maduro, the former Venezuelan president currently detained in New York, ended a prolonged silence on August 30 by posting photos and messages from his Brooklyn prison facility. The images, taken on June 25, showed him slimmer and wearing a gray tracksuit; his messages said he was standing firm and invoked divine support for Venezuela’s recovery. His reappearance came shortly after interim President Delcy Rodríguez finalized a 25-year bilateral energy agreement with the United States. The pact targets 17 strategic oilfields and aims to lift production above 1.5 million barrels per day, compared with Venezuela’s current output of roughly 1.25 million bpd. It projects about $209 billion in revenue for the Venezuelan state, based on a $65-per-barrel benchmark, or approximately $19 per barrel flowing to state coffers. US President Donald Trump said the agreement would give the US majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven reserves and would not cost American taxpayers. Rodríguez has described the deal as the centerpiece of a three-phase transition plan covering stabilization, recovery and political transition. The agreement also includes provisions intended to protect Venezuelan sovereignty over its natural resources.