Delcy Rodriguez Calls Trump a “Friend”
Delcy Rodriguez, who has been acting as Venezuela’s “interim president” since the arrest of Nicolas Maduro in January, referred to President Donald Trump as a “friend” and “partner” during an event alongside Maduro’s son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra.
Her comments came after Trump labeled Venezuela as a “new friend” of the United States, following Maduro’s arrest. Rodriguez, a close ally of Maduro and a staunch socialist, has been positively mentioned by Trump as someone the U.S. could collaborate with. Interestingly, Trump hinted that Rodriguez might not truly be in charge, suggesting she was merely following orders from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who enjoys significant public support.
In his recent State of the Union address, Trump mentioned, “America’s oil production is increasing by more than 600,000 barrels a day, and we just received over 80 million barrels of oil from our new friend and partner, Venezuela.” This figure, exceeding initial expectations, marked a notable increase compared to earlier estimates of $30 to $50 million worth of oil exports from Venezuela.
Previously, Trump indicated that this oil trade would allow American oil companies to operate in Venezuela and help reconstruct its oil industry. Venezuela, which is thought to possess the largest oil reserves globally, has faced significant challenges in production due to years of socialist policies that have led many skilled engineers to leave or be imprisoned. Attempting to address the decline, Maduro invited Iranian engineers to assist with repairs, but by the time of Maduro’s arrest, there had been little progress.
During a socialist youth event on Thursday, Rodriguez referenced Trump’s State of the Union remarks. She expressed admiration for Trump’s view, stating, “Venezuela has never been an enemy of the United States. It has never posed a threat to the U.S. or any other nation.”
She went on to urge the U.S. to lift the sanctions against Venezuela, which she claimed were the sentiments of the Venezuelan people, relating to the sanctions linked to Maduro’s regime and its alleged ties to narco-terrorism. Rodriguez stated, “As a friend, I hope that the United States and all countries will end the blockade and sanctions against Venezuela.” She called for a new collaboration between Venezuela and the U.S. to dismantle these barriers, emphasizing that such restrictions adversely affect Venezuela’s youth.
Rodriguez characterized the year as having started “very badly” with Maduro and his wife’s arrests, labeling isolated law enforcement actions as a “military invasion by a nuclear-armed state.” Despite the turmoil, she described the current U.S.-Venezuela relations as “abnormal.”
Reportedly, any potential collaboration with the U.S. hinges on Rodriguez making notable changes to Venezuela’s controversial human rights record and distancing the country from adversaries like Cuba, China, and Russia. As of late February, there are indications that Rodriguez is spearheading the departure of Cuban regime agents who have significantly controlled Venezuelan affairs for years.
On the human rights front, both Rodriguez and her brother, chief lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez, have committed to releasing hundreds of political prisoners who have faced torture and inhumane treatment in custody. Maduro has a history of silencing dissenting voices through violence since coming to power in 2013. Recently, it was reported that over 3,000 individuals have been released under a new amnesty law.
In his State of the Union address, Trump highlighted the plight of anti-socialist activists in Venezuela, bolstering Rodriguez’s promise to free political prisoners. Notably, he invited Enrique Marquez, a politician imprisoned under dubious accusations right after a rigged “election,” to his address, managing to reunite him with his niece during the event.
Additionally, Rodriguez and her administration announced plans to transform Helicoide, the infamous torture facility, into a cultural center, signaling a potential shift away from decades of human rights abuses at the site.
