Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has called on the United States to show respect for Venezuela’s dignity, saying her government is prepared to engage Washington diplomatically despite rising tensions between the two countries.
Speaking on Thursday, Rodríguez said her administration was not intimidated by the power of the United States, even as she acknowledged its global military and nuclear strength. She stressed that Venezuela remained open to diplomatic engagement through political dialogue rather than confrontation.
“We know they are very powerful. We know they are a lethal nuclear power,” Rodríguez said. “We are not afraid to confront them diplomatically, through political dialogue.”
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Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under former leader Nicolás Maduro, assumed interim leadership following Maduro’s removal from power after a US military strike on January 3. Despite her close alliance with the ousted leftist leader, US President Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to engage with Rodríguez, provided her government aligns with Washington’s strategic interests, particularly regarding access to Venezuela’s vast oil resources.
In Maduro’s absence, Rodríguez delivered the state of the nation address to Venezuela’s parliament, where she received strong applause from lawmakers. During the address, she revealed that she had urged Washington to show “respect for the dignity” of Maduro, who currently faces drug‑trafficking charges in the United States.
Diplomatic engagement between Caracas and Washington appeared to intensify this week after Rodríguez held a telephone conversation with President Trump on Wednesday. Following the call, Trump described Rodríguez as “a terrific person” and said discussions covered a wide range of issues, including oil, minerals, trade, and national security.
“We are making tremendous progress,” Trump wrote on social media.
Rodríguez later described the conversation as “productive and courteous,” noting that it was conducted in a spirit of mutual respect. However, she also made clear that Venezuela would not accept humiliation on the international stage.
“If I ever have to visit Washington as interim president, I will go standing, walking, not dragged,” she said, an apparent reference to the dramatic removal of Maduro and his wife, who were taken into US custody to face trial in New York.
The interim president has been walking a diplomatic tightrope, seeking to satisfy US demands while avoiding backlash from Maduro loyalists who continue to control Venezuela’s security forces and armed paramilitary groups.
Meanwhile, President Trump has so far shown little engagement with Venezuela’s opposition, which is widely believed to have won the July 2024 presidential election. However, on Thursday, he met opposition leader María Corina Machado for what the White House described as “positive” talks, signalling a possible shift in US engagement with Venezuela’s political landscape.
The developments highlight the complex and evolving dynamics between Caracas and Washington as Venezuela navigates a fragile political transition under international scrutiny.
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