In a dramatic and defiant national address, Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has forcefully rejected former US President Donald Trump's stated plan for the United States to temporarily run the South American nation. The televised statement comes in direct response to Trump's comments to reporters on Saturday, January 3, 2026, following the controversial US-led attack and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
A Firm Rejection of Colonialism
Rodríguez left no room for interpretation regarding Venezuela's stance. "We will never return to being the colony of another empire," she declared emphatically to the nation. This powerful statement directly counters Trump's assertion that Rodríguez had been sworn in as president and was willing to cooperate fully with Washington.
Trump had told the media that he expected the US to run Venezuela for a temporary period. He further claimed that Rodríguez had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and had assured him that Venezuela would "do whatever" the United States needed. However, Rodríguez's address presented a completely different narrative, one of resistance and sovereignty.
Rodríguez Counters Trump's Claims
The Vice President explicitly pushed back on the idea of Venezuelan submission. "If there's something that the Venezuelan people and the country know very clearly, we will never return to being slaves," she stated, framing the conflict as a struggle for national liberation rather than a simple political transition. Her words, "NO OIL, GOLD FOR US," as highlighted in reports, signal a refusal to allow the nation's vast natural resources to be controlled by foreign powers as a condition of the current crisis.
The backdrop of this fiery rhetoric is the high-stakes operation that saw Maduro extracted from Venezuela. Reports detail a complex mission involving Delta Force, gunfire, and Maduro's failed attempt to flee his fortress-like location. The captured president was subsequently flown to the United States, where footage showed him handcuffed and escorted by FBI agents, even giving a thumbs-up at a DEA office.
International Repercussions and Fallout
The bold US action has sent shockwaves through international diplomacy, prompting strong reactions from global powers. Both China and Russia have condemned Maduro's abduction, with analysts suggesting potential retaliation against the United States. The incident has been described as crossing "red lines," potentially escalating geopolitical tensions significantly.
Meanwhile, Trump has already begun outlining post-capture plans, focusing on Venezuela's immense oil reserves. He has suggested the possibility of selling Venezuelan oil to other nations, a move that would fundamentally alter global energy dynamics. Within Venezuela, the situation remains tense. With Maduro's whereabouts confirmed in US custody, questions about the country's immediate leadership and the activation of its defence commands underscore the precarious and volatile state of affairs following what Trump hailed as a "brilliant operation."
The standoff between Caracas and Washington, embodied in the clash between Trump's declarations and Rodríguez's defiance, sets the stage for a prolonged and uncertain chapter in Venezuela's history, with its people caught in the middle of a major international power struggle.
