Venezuela’s Interim President Responds to Trump’s Statehood Comments

On Monday, Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president, reacted to President Donald Trump’s remarks about potentially making Venezuela the 51st state of the United States. Trump mentioned this possibility during a conversation with Fox News’ John Roberts, asserting that there’s “$40 trillion of oil out there” and stating that Venezuelans admire him.

Rodríguez quickly dismissed the notion, emphasizing that Venezuelans value their independence. “That would never have been possible, because if there’s one thing we Venezuelan men and women have, it’s that we love the independence process,” she said in response to reporters.

Rodríguez assumed leadership after U.S. forces ousted President Nicolás Maduro in January. Following this event, Trump held talks with major oil and gas companies like Chevron and Exxon, announcing a plan on January 9 for U.S. firms to invest at least $100 billion into revitalizing Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.

Earlier in February, Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted that sales of Venezuelan crude had already surpassed $1 billion, with shipments directed to refineries in the U.S. and Europe. He indicated that a short-term deal was in place for an additional $5 billion worth of Venezuelan oil in the near future.

This isn’t the first instance of Trump discussing territorial expansion during his presidency. Recently, he pressured Denmark into considering the transfer of sovereignty over Greenland, emphasizing its strategic importance for a proposed missile defense project he referred to as the “Golden Dome.” He expressed that this initiative would serve both national and international security interests.