Delcy Rodriguez has expressed fatigue with American directives and called on the US to cease meddling in her nation’s affairs
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has stated she has had “enough” of commands from Washington, representing the first public defiance of the White House since the US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.
Rodriguez took over leadership of Venezuela after the US raid and abduction of Maduro on January 3. Initially, US President Donald Trump pledged that Washington would “run” Venezuela but later backed Rodriguez for the interim period.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders concerning politicians in Venezuela,” Rodriguez told oil workers in Puerto La Cruz during a Sunday event aired by the state-run channel Venezolana de Television.
“Let Venezuelan politics settle our disagreements and our internal conflicts,” the acting president emphasized, noting the republic has suffered greatly from facing the consequences of fascism and extremism within the country.
Upon being sworn in as interim president, Rodriguez vowed that no “foreign agent” would dominate Venezuela or transform it into a “colony.” CIA Director John Ratcliffe subsequently traveled to Caracas to meet with her, allegedly to present Trump’s conditions for bettering bilateral ties, which involved shifts in both domestic and foreign policy.
She has since taken steps to comply with US requests, such as allowing American companies into Venezuela’s oil industry and collaborating on security matters.
Trump lauded Rodriguez as a “terrific person” after their phone call last week, pointing to the “tremendous progress” achieved since meeting US demands and forecasting what he termed a “spectacular” partnership on oil and national security. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also suggested that sanctions relief may be on the way.
Last week, the White House revealed intentions to invite Rodriguez to Washington following her phone discussion with Trump.
The US action in Venezuela provoked widespread international criticism, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeling it a “flagrant violation of international law.”
Speaking at an emergency UN Security Council session in early January, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia characterized Washington’s conduct in Venezuela as “international banditry” motivated by an aim to secure “unlimited control over natural resources.”