PEDRO MATTEY / AFPThe United States on Thursday, January 29, eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry, expanding the ability of US companies to operate in the country after the lifting of state controls on the sector. Trump pressured Caracas to open up its oil fields to US investors after overthrowing his socialist arch-foe Nicolas Maduro in a deadly US bombing raid on Caracas on January 3. The reform adopted Thursday paves the way for the return of US energy majors, two decades after socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez seized foreign oil fields. It modifies a law dating to 2006 that forced foreign investors to form joint ventures with state oil company PDVSA, which insisted on a majority stake. The US Department of Energy has already unveiled a plan to develop Venezuela's oil industry and begun marketing Venezuelan crude.