Trump threatens Venezuela’s leader, Delcy Rodriguez, with dire repercussions before taking office

Donald Trump cautions Rodríguez that she might “face a very significant consequence, likely greater than Maduro” prior to assuming office.

Donald Trump has delivered a serious warning to Venezuela’s new leader, Delcy Rodríguez, stating that she may face a significant consequence, potentially greater than that of Maduro, if she fails to “do what’s right.” Rodríguez is poised to take the oath of office today, as tensions rise in the wake of US military actions targeting former President Nicolás Maduro.

The swearing-in ceremony at Venezuela’s National Assembly follows the Supreme Court’s designation of Rodríguez as interim president over the weekend, after a US operation that apprehended Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The United States has announced that Maduro will be facing charges related to drugs and weapons in New York.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump stated, “Regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now.” He has pledged that the US will govern the country until “a safe and proper and judicious transition” can occur, assuring that American oil companies will step in to repair infrastructure “and begin generating revenue for the country.”

In her inaugural cabinet meeting, Rodríguez addressed the US president directly: “Our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war.” She also expressed, “Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future,” urging the US to “join us in an agenda of cooperation” in accordance with international law.

According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Maduro is confronted with several charges, including “Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.” Trump characterized these actions as elements of Maduro’s “campaign of deadly narco-terrorism” targeting the US and its citizens. Maduro has rejected the allegations of being a cartel leader, asserting that the accusations serve as a justification to oust him from his position of authority.

Julia Buxton, a professor of justice studies at Liverpool John Moores University, expressed criticism of the US framing, stating that it is based on “very flimsy ground.” She stated on BBC Breakfast that Venezuela is “not a major exporter of cocaine” and elaborated, “The bulk of cocaine going into the US comes through the Pacific Coast, up through Mexico and Colombia.” Fentanyl is not being produced in Venezuela. The Trump administration has essentially created the idea of Maduro as a narco-terrorist to justify its regime change policies.

Cuba has confirmed that 32 of its citizens lost their lives during the US operation aimed at seizing Maduro. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that the nation pays tribute to “the courageous Cuban combatants who sacrificed their lives confronting the terrorists in imperial uniforms who abducted and unlawfully took the Venezuelan president and his wife from their homeland.” Trump stated that military action against Cuba is improbable, yet he did not dismiss the possibility of intervention in Colombia.

The unfolding events were carried out under comprehensive US surveillance. Agents observed Maduro’s daily activities for several months prior to the operation. Trump stated, “He made it to the door.” He couldn’t close it, stating, “He was rushed so quickly that he didn’t make it into that (room).”At 04:20 local time, helicopters departed from Venezuelan territory carrying Maduro and Flores, heading to New York to face charges.

Freddy Guevara, a former political prisoner, shared with BBC Radio 4 that Venezuela is now burdened with “the leftovers of the Maduro regime.” He stated that Maduro’s governance had been sustained “through force and fear” and was significantly dependent on international backing.

Delcy Rodríguez, a lawyer and diplomat with a longstanding role in Maduro’s inner circle, has advocated for collaboration with the US despite the challenging situation. Initially, she had declined to recognize Venezuela as “a colony of an empire,” but during her first cabinet meeting, she adopted a more accommodating approach, highlighting the importance of collaboration.

Trump’s actions and warnings have elicited responses worldwide. Chinese officials criticized the US operation, stating that “hegemonic acts of the US seriously violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region.” Sir Alex Younger, the former chief of MI6, remarked that the current global landscape is dominated by “strong men presiding over spheres of influences,” with Trump exemplifying this trend.