Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez has firmly rejected what she sees as overreach from the United States, stating she has had “enough” of Washington’s instructions as she works to unify the country after ex-leader Nicolás Maduro’s arrest.
Addressing oil workers in Puerto La Cruz on Sunday—an event shown on state TV channel Venezolana de Televisión—Rodríguez vented her frustration.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she said. She insisted Venezuelans should sort their own disputes. “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.”
This pushback comes about a month after Rodríguez, formerly Maduro’s deputy, took interim charge with U.S. support following a January raid that captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores for trial in America.
President Donald Trump first claimed the U.S. was “going to run” Venezuela but soon backed Rodríguez, calling her a “terrific person” after a call and saying “I think we’re getting along very well with Venezuela.”
On Monday, she stressed mutual respect. “We are not afraid. Nor are we afraid of maintaining respectful relations with the United States, but they must be based on respect—respect for international law, basic human respect in interpersonal relations, and respect for the dignity and history of Venezuela,” Rodríguez remarked.
Oil powers Venezuela’s economy with its huge extra-heavy crude reserves suited to U.S. refineries, but faces U.S. demands to cut ties with China, Iran, Russia, and Cuba, prioritise American firms, hold fair elections, and free political prisoners.
Internal splits persist among Maduro loyalists, Chávez purists (“Chavistas No-Maduristas”), and sidelined opposition like María Corina Machado, whom Trump wants involved.
Rights group Foro Penal logged 104 prisoner releases Sunday, totalling over 266 since a 8 January “peace gesture.” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello cited 808 since December under Maduro’s peace plan. Both he and Rodríguez invite UN rights chief Volker Türk to verify. Trump called it a “powerful humanitarian gesture” and expects more soon.