CARACAS — Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez said Sunday that she has had “enough” of orders from Washington, signalling growing frustration with U.S. pressure as she attempts to stabilize the country following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking to oil workers in the coastal city of Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez called for Venezuelans to resolve their political differences internally, without external direction. Her remarks were broadcast on state television.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” Rodríguez said. “Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and our internal conflicts. This Republic has paid a very high price confronting the consequences of extremism and division.”
Balancing U.S. backing and domestic tensions
Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s deputy, has been walking a political tightrope since being backed by the United States as interim leader following Maduro’s capture and transfer to U.S. custody earlier this month. While supported by Washington, she has sought to keep factions loyal to Maduro from turning against her at home.
The White House has continued to apply pressure on Caracas, including demands related to Venezuela’s oil sector — the country’s main economic lifeline. U.S. officials have pushed for a rapid resumption of oil production under conditions favourable to American companies.
Rodríguez has repeatedly insisted that Venezuela remains a sovereign state and is not governed by the United States, while also avoiding direct confrontation with Washington.
U.S. stance hardens after Maduro’s capture
The Trump administration intensified its involvement in Venezuela after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a raid in early January and flown to the United States to face criminal charges.
In the immediate aftermath, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. was “going to run” Venezuela, though he later publicly backed Rodríguez as the country’s interim leader.
According to senior White House officials, Washington has laid out a series of conditions for future engagement with Caracas, including cutting ties with China, Iran, Russia and Cuba, and prioritizing U.S. firms in Venezuela’s oil industry.
CNN said it has contacted the White House for comment on Rodríguez’s latest remarks.
A country still deeply divided
Venezuela remains politically fractured, with competing factions that include Maduro loyalists, left-wing opposition groups, and so-called “Chavistas No-Maduristas” — supporters of the late Hugo Chávez who accuse Maduro of abandoning socialist principles.
For Washington, the challenge now is securing a stable governing authority in Caracas after years of hostility between the two countries. For Rodríguez, the task is even more complex: holding together a divided nation while resisting the perception that her leadership is dictated from abroad.
As pressure mounts on both sides, her comments suggest an effort to reassert Venezuelan autonomy — even as her government remains heavily dependent on U.S. political support and economic decisions.