This was very unexpected.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, is publicly pushing back against the Trump administration after weeks of unprecedented U.S. involvement in the country’s leadership and oil industry. Speaking to oil workers in Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez said Venezuela would no longer tolerate political direction from Washington.
Her remarks, broadcast on state-run television, come just weeks after President Donald Trump announced the capture of longtime socialist leader Nicolás Maduro during a bold U.S.-backed operation in Caracas. Maduro was later transferred to New York, where he now faces federal drug-trafficking charges.
Rodríguez told the crowd that Venezuela must resolve its political disagreements internally, warning that years of radical ideology and extremism have taken a heavy toll on the nation. “Enough of Washington’s orders,” she said, signaling growing tension despite ongoing cooperation with the United States.
Notably, Trump has allowed Rodríguez to remain in power following Maduro’s removal—a move the administration framed as a stabilizing step while Venezuela transitions away from authoritarian socialism. In recent remarks, Trump praised Rodríguez’s leadership and said negotiations were already producing tangible economic results for Americans.
Speaking aboard Air Force One after returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil are now being directed to the United States. He emphasized that the arrangement strengthens U.S. energy independence and benefits American taxpayers.
“We’re working with them, and it’s going to be divided fairly,” Trump said. “Our country becomes richer, taxes go down, and Venezuela does better too. This is a win-win situation.”
The president has so far resisted calls to immediately push for new Venezuelan elections, choosing instead to focus on economic stabilization and oil production. At the same time, Trump has warmed to opposition leader María Corina Machado, reversing earlier skepticism about her national support.
Trump met with Machado at the White House on January 15, where she presented him with her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize—an award Trump has openly praised and cited as recognition for restoring stability, cracking down on global crime networks, and securing American energy interests abroad.
As Venezuela pushes back rhetorically, the Trump administration appears focused on results: cheaper energy, stronger borders, and a U.S.-first foreign policy that delivers real economic gains at home.
