Venezuela’s acting president says she’s had “enough” of directives from the United States, marking a sharper shift in tone as Caracas navigates a fragile political transition following the dramatic removal of its former leader.
Speaking on Sunday, Delcy Rodríguez said she would no longer tolerate instructions from Washington, even as she works to steady a deeply divided nation in the aftermath of the US capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Since stepping into the interim role with US backing, Rodríguez has been walking a political tightrope. At home, she must keep Maduro loyalists from splintering the state. Abroad, she has been expected to reassure Washington that Venezuela would align with US strategic and economic interests. Nearly a month into her presidency, that balancing act is showing visible strain.
A Public Rebuttal
Rodríguez’s frustration came into full view during a televised address to oil workers in Puerto La Cruz. Broadcasting on state-run television, she delivered a blunt message aimed squarely at Washington.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she said, urging Venezuelans to resolve their political differences internally. She warned that the country had already paid a steep price for years of ideological conflict, extremism, and foreign interference.
Despite the strong rhetoric, Rodríguez stopped short of directly confronting the United States. Instead, she framed her remarks as a call for national sovereignty rather than a rejection of dialogue—an important distinction as her government remains dependent on international recognition and economic relief.
Pressure From Washington
The White House has maintained steady pressure on Caracas since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a US operation in early January and transferred to American custody, where the former leader now faces criminal charges.
In the days that followed, US officials laid out a series of expectations for Venezuela’s new leadership. These reportedly included restarting oil production, reducing ties with geopolitical rivals such as China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba, and prioritizing partnerships with US energy companies.
US President Donald Trump initially declared that the United States was “going to run” Venezuela after Maduro’s capture. He later softened that stance, endorsing Rodríguez as interim leader and presenting her as a stabilizing figure during the transition.
Rodríguez, a former deputy to Maduro, has repeatedly stressed that Venezuela is not governed by the US. At the same time, she has avoided language that could trigger open confrontation with the White House, signaling her awareness of the political and economic risks involved.
A Nation Still Divided
For more than two decades, oil-rich Venezuela has been locked in near-constant conflict with the United States. Now, after Maduro’s removal, Washington’s priority has shifted from pressure to stability—seeking a government in Caracas that can both hold power domestically and cooperate internationally.
That task is far from simple. Venezuela remains fractured between staunch Maduro loyalists, left-wing opposition groups, and so-called “Chavistas No-Maduristas”—supporters of former president Hugo Chávez who reject Maduro, accusing him of abandoning socialist principles.
Oil remains the central economic lever. Venezuela holds the world’s largest reserves of extra-heavy crude, a resource that is costly to refine but well-suited to US refineries. Control over future oil policy will likely define Rodríguez’s relationship with Washington—and determine how much independence her government can realistically assert.
As Venezuela’s acting president says she’s had “enough” of directives from the United States, her challenge now is turning that defiance into a workable path forward—one that preserves sovereignty without isolating a country still desperate for stability and recovery.
