Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, said Sunday she has had “enough” of Washington’s orders, as she works to unite the country after the US capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez has been walking a tightrope since being backed by the US to lead the country in the interim, balancing the need to keep Maduro loyalists on board at home while trying to satisfy the White House. Now, almost a month into her new role, she has pushed back on the US amid ongoing pressure, including a series of demands for Venezuela to resume oil production.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she told a group of oil workers in Puerto La Cruz, in an event broadcast by state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión.
“Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and our internal conflicts. This Republic has paid a very high price for having to confront the consequences of fascism and extremism in our country.”
US President Donald Trump had claimed the US was “going to run” Venezuela immediately after Maduro’s capture, but he later endorsed Rodríguez as the country’s interim leader.
For the past 25 years, oil-rich socialist Venezuela has been in constant confrontation with the US. But after deposing Maduro, Washington is now seeking to secure a stable authority in Caracas.
US President Donald Trump had claimed the US was “going to run” Venezuela immediately after Maduro’s capture, but he later endorsed Rodríguez as the country’s interim leader.
For the past 25 years, oil-rich socialist Venezuela has been in constant confrontation with the US. But after deposing Maduro, Washington is now seeking to secure a stable authority in Caracas.
Internally, the country remains divided among Maduro loyalists, left-wing opposition groups, and “Chavistas No-Maduristas”—supporters of the late Hugo Chávez who reject Maduro, accusing him of betraying the ideals of 21st-century socialism
Days after the US strikes on Caracas in early January, the Trump administration outlined a series of demands Venezuela must meet, including cutting ties with China, Iran, Russia, and Cuba, and partnering exclusively with the US on oil production, two senior White House said.
Rodríguez was also expected to prioritize the Trump administration and US oil companies for future oil sales.
Venezuela’s main economic driver is oil. The country has the world’s largest reserves of extra-heavy crude, a variety that requires a more complex refining process but is compatible with US refineries
