Venezuela Economy & Food Access: Acting President Delcy Rodríguez marked the inauguration of the 200th rehabilitated Mercal site nationwide in Caracas, alongside new stores and discounts up to 70%, while also citing 21 straight quarters of economic growth and rising food consumption. Venezuela Politics & Justice: Venezuela’s Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence says courts granted alternative detention measures to 131 people tied to alleged attacks on democratic institutions, as part of post-Maduro transition talks. Venezuela Gold & Dialogue: Rodríguez said agreements with a sector of the 2015 National Assembly opposition will support joint work to recover Venezuelan gold held in England for reconstruction after the June 24 earthquakes. Energy & Regional Deals: Trinidad and Tobago approved new natural gas exploration licenses in Venezuela tied to the Loran-Manatee cross-border field, aiming to boost regional gas processing and security. Oil Market Watch: ExxonMobil told investors it sees four more potential discoveries in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, with exploration shaped by the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. US Pressure & Sanctions Spillover: The U.S. Treasury sanctioned China’s Hengli Petrochemical refinery over alleged purchases of sanctioned Iranian crude, underscoring how sanctions enforcement keeps reshaping regional energy flows.