Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Sunday that she had “enough” of Washington’s orders, as she works to unite the country after the US capture of its former leader Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez has been walking a tightrope since he was backed by the United States to lead the country in the interim; balancing keeping Maduro loyalists on board at home while trying to make sure the White House is happy.
Now, almost a month into her new role, Rodríguez has pushed back on the United States, amid continued pressure including a series of demands for Venezuela to resume oil production.
“Already enough orders of Washington on politicians in Venezuela,” she told a group of oil workers in the city of Puerto La Cruz, in an event broadcast by the state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión.
“Let the politics of Venezuela resolve our differences and our internal conflicts. This Republic paid a very high price for having to face the consequences of fascism and extremism in our country.”
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press following US military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026. – Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
The White House has maintained constant pressure on Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were caught in a raid in early January and taken to the United States, where the former leader is facing charges.
Rodríguez, Maduro’s former deputy, has stressed in recent weeks that the United States does not govern Venezuela but, equally, has not sought a confrontation with Washington.
US President Donald Trump had claimed that the United States was “going to rule” Venezuela immediately after Maduro’s capture, but he later supported Rodríguez as the country’s interim leader.
CNN has contacted the White House for comment on Rodríguez’s latest statement.
Looking for stability
For the past 25 years, oil-rich socialist Venezuela has been at constant odds with the United States. But after deposing Maduro, Washington is now looking to secure a stable source of authority in Caracas.
Law enforcement officers escort Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, second from left, out of a helicopter in New York on January 5. – Adam Gray/Reuters
Internally, the country remains divided between Maduro loyalists, the leftist opposition and “Chavistas No-Maduristas” – supporters of the late Hugo Chávez who reject Maduro, accusing him of betraying the socialist ideals of the 21st century.
Days after the US strikes on Caracas in early January, the Trump administration outlined a number of demands that Venezuela must agree to, including cutting ties with China, Iran, Russia and Cuba, and agreeing to partner exclusively with the US in oil production, two senior White House officials told CNN at the time.
fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s Largest Military Complex, after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026. – Luis Jaimes/AFP/getty Images
Rodríguez was also expected to prioritize the Trump administration and US oil companies for future oil sales.
Venezuela’s main economic engine is oil. The country has the world’s largest reserves of extra-heavy crude, a variety that requires a more complex and expensive refining process but is also compatible with US refineries.
Cn’s Ivonne Valdes Garay, Isabelle D’Antony, Rocio Muñoz-Ledo and Mauricio Torres contributed to this report.
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