"One thing must be absolutely clear: Venezuela retains ownership and sovereignty over its resources while it uses capital, technology and operating capacity to leverage the recovery of a strategic industry hard hit by sanctions," Rodriguez said.

She said the goal was to turn Venezuela's oil reserves into "production, opportunities, wellbeing and future" for the population.

Rodriguez estimated that at a reference price of $65 per barrel, the Venezuelan state could receive around $209.34 billion in revenue, or about $19 for every barrel produced and sold.

The project also includes eight new blocks in the Orinoco Oil Belt, with minimum royalties of 16% and an income tax rate of 34%.

Rodriguez thanked US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their involvement in the negotiations, saying Venezuela had chosen diplomacy to turn differences with Washington into cooperation and investment.

Trump described the agreement as the largest oil deal in history and said the United States would obtain majority control over the reserves involved. His description contrasts with Caracas's position that Venezuela will retain ownership and sovereignty over its resources.

In her address paying tribute to the earthquake victims, Rodriguez commended the national response efforts.

"Exactly one month ago, we became victims of nature with a double earthquake. In circumstances truly unprecedented for our country, but that day, Army Day, our Bolivarian National Armed Force went out to be there for the people of Venezuela to stand by them, to rescue, to save lives, to get their boots caked in mud, and they are still there on the ground."

The tragedy was caused by 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude tremors on June 24. The disaster resulted in 5,546 deaths and left almost 17,000 people injured, while many others remain missing. The physical destruction was severe, with hundreds of buildings pulverised and more than 23,000 people left homeless.

Observances took place throughout the affected region. In Tanaguarena, La Guaira, dozens of rescue volunteers and family members searching for missing relatives paused their work at a destroyed building to participate in the silence.

During the ceremony, Venezuela awarded the "Hero of Venezuela" and "Canine Heroes of Venezuela" decorations to international teams that participated in search and rescue operations.

Among those recognised was the Bolivian rescue delegation. Lieutenant Colonel Ibar Gálvez Lazo thanked the Venezuelan government for the honour but said the true recognition belonged to those affected by the disaster.

"As a Bolivian, part of the South American region, we feel honoured to support the people who are suffering from this natural disaster situation, such as the earthquake, and always committed to contributing and supporting the population ," he told Viory.

He added that, in his view, "the ones who should be recognised are the affected people."

The honoured delegations came from Europe, Western Asia and Latin America . Teams from Jordan, the Czech Republic, Colombia, Spain and Portugal were recognised for their work with search-and-rescue dogs, while rescue personnel from Germany, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic were also honoured for assisting in the emergency response.

"We knew that we were facing a major natural catastrophe and that La Guaira, the state of La Guaira, had become a disaster zone. The first hours involved immediate response, with the deployment of 4,000 civilian and military personnel, which increased the following day and reached 14,000 personnel," she said.

Rodríguez also accused what she described as "media laboratories" of encouraging people to travel to the disaster zone, saying the influx complicated rescue operations.

"There are those who, humanly and rightly, went down to look for a relative, went down to look for a friend, went down to look for a worker, but media laboratories were activated, I have to say that responsibly," she said.

The acting president thanked countries for supporting Venezuela's relief efforts, including the United States , the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Israel.

She also announced an initial $200 million reconstruction fund and said the government was seeking to recover additional funds through discussions with the International Monetary Fund and the US State Department.

Virginia remains the birthplace of more U.S. presidents than any other state, producing eight commanders-in-chief, according to historical records from the National Archives, the White House Historical Association, and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The state's unmatched contribution includes four of the nation's first five presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe, earning Virginia the nickname "Mother of Presidents." Also born in Virginia were William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson.

Virginia's prominence reflects its central role in the nation's founding. During the colonial period, it was the largest and most influential British colony in North America, producing many of the leaders who shaped the American Revolution and drafted the U.S. Constitution.

Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe each served during the republic's formative decades, helping establish the presidency, expand the nation's territory through the Louisiana Purchase, and define key constitutional principles.

Historians note that Virginia's political influence gradually declined after the early 19th century as population and economic power shifted westward.

Ohio ranks second with seven presidents, including Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding.

Ohio's rise reflected the country's westward expansion during the 19th century. By the late 1800s, it had become one of America's largest states by population and an industrial powerhouse, making it a crucial battleground in national politics .

The state's influence earned it the nickname "Mother of Presidents" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it produced five presidents within just 28 years.

New York has produced five presidents: Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Donald Trump.

Massachusetts follows with four: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H. W. Bush, who was born in Milton before later establishing his political career in Texas.

Four other states have produced two presidents each: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont.

While birthplace is a notable historical distinction, historians emphasise that many presidents built their political careers elsewhere. Abraham Lincoln, for example, was born in Kentucky but became politically identified with Illinois, while Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois and rose to national prominence in California .

England generated more transfer revenue than any other football association between 2014 and 2023, earning €13.8 billion from player transfers, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory report, highlighting the Premier League's central role in the global transfer market.

The CIES Football Observatory's analysis of international transfer activity shows England comfortably leading the rankings ahead of Italy (€9.8 billion), France (€8.0 billion), Spain (€7.7 billion) and Germany (€7.0 billion).

The figures cover transfer revenues earned by clubs affiliated with each national football association over the ten years, reflecting both domestic and international player trading.

Although England recorded the highest overall transfer revenue, only 36.6% of its earnings came from international transfers, the lowest proportion among the top ten associations.

The data reflects the Premier League's enormous domestic transfer market, where clubs frequently buy and sell players within England for substantial fees. Financial regulations, broadcasting income and commercial revenues have enabled English clubs to spend more than their European counterparts, creating a highly active internal market.

According to Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance , Premier League clubs consistently generate the highest revenues of any football league worldwide, supporting record-breaking transfer activity.

By contrast, several football associations depend far more on exporting players abroad.

Portugal recorded €3.9 billion in transfer revenue, with 91.3% generated from international transfers, the highest share among the top ten. Portuguese clubs have long developed young talent before selling players to wealthier European leagues, particularly England, Spain, France and Germany.

The Netherlands (90.0%), Belgium (86.7%), Brazil (85.8%), and Argentina (82.6%) also earned the vast majority of their transfer income through overseas deals.

France generated €8.0 billion, with 73.4% coming from international transfers, reflecting Ligue 1's reputation as one of Europe's leading talent-producing leagues. French academies continue supplying players to elite clubs across Europe, particularly the Premier League.

Outside Europe, Brazil (€2.9 billion) ranked seventh, while Argentina (€1.8 billion) completed the top ten. Both South American nations remain among the world's most important exporters of football talent despite comparatively smaller domestic broadcasting revenues.

“Today, at around 18:00 in the evening, two earthquakes occurred in succession, the first a 7.2 and immediately afterward a 7.5. By this hour, 20 aftershocks have already been recorded,” she said.

“It is an event with serious consequences, and there are states that are particularly affected. In the capital city, Caracas, there were building collapses in different parishes, the state of Miranda, and the state of La Guaira. The states of Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcon, where we have had impact, have also been severely affected.”

The US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquakes at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, with epicentres near Morón, approximately 160 kilometres west of Caracas.

The USGS issued a red alert through its Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system, indicating the potential for severe humanitarian impacts. The agency estimated that fatalities could eventually range between 10,000 and 100,000 based on the intensity of the shaking, population exposure and the vulnerability of affected buildings.

Rodríguez later confirmed that at least 32 people had been killed and more than 700 injured, warning that the number of casualties could increase as search and rescue operations continue.

Emergency authorities have deployed specialised search-and-rescue teams to affected areas to search collapsed buildings, while residents have been urged to remain outdoors because of continued powerful aftershocks.

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