On Tuesday, Delcy Rodriguez, who calls herself Venezuela’s “acting president,” reaffirmed her position in charge of the socialist government after President Trump shared a meme labeling her as the “acting president.”
Rodriguez expressed her frustration during a government broadcast from Catia la Mar in Vargas state, a city reportedly “greatly impacted” by the January 3 U.S. operations that resulted in the arrest of deposed leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
“I came across a cartoon on Wikipedia regarding who leads Venezuela. Well, we have a responsible government in place. We have an acting president and a president currently being held against his will in the United States,” Rodriguez stated.
“We will govern alongside the people, engage with popular power, foster respectful international ties according to international law, and uphold the rights of our cherished Venezuela.”
Rodriguez didn’t clarify which “Wikipedia cartoons” she was alluding to, but her comments followed soon after Trump posted an edited Wikipedia image on his Truth social account, identifying himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela.”
Telesur, a leftist news network primarily focused on Latin America and backed by the Venezuelan regime, reported that Rodriguez’s comments were a “direct response to the dissemination of cartoons and online content portraying Donald Trump as a national authority.” They noted, “These actions are a desperate attempt to dismiss the political realities and sovereign will governing Venezuelan territory.” Telesur emphasized Rodriguez’s assertion that the country is committed to its freedom in face of attempts to disrupt its peace.
“We are defending the rights of our beloved homeland against the unlawful actions of the U.S. government,” Rodriguez declared during the broadcast.
However, despite her assertions, Trump has recently indicated that Rodriguez is working with the United States and is in regular communication with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump remarked that “Venezuela is doing well” and suggested the possibility of a meeting with Rodriguez “at some point.”
