Venezuela’s acting president says she has had enough of US orders
By CNN, January 26, 2026Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez has said she has had “enough” of what she described as orders from Washington, signalling rare public pushback against the United States nearly a month after being backed by the US to lead the country on an interim basis.
Speaking on Sunday to oil workers in the coastal city of Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez said Venezuela must be allowed to resolve its own internal affairs following the US capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro.
“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” Rodríguez said at the event, which was broadcast by state-run Venezolana de Televisión.
“Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and our internal conflicts. This Republic has paid a very high price for confronting the consequences of fascism and extremism in our country.”
Rodríguez has been walking a political tightrope since assuming the interim role, attempting to keep Maduro loyalists engaged domestically while maintaining the confidence of the White House. Her remarks come amid mounting US pressure, including demands that Venezuela resume oil production under new terms.
The White House has maintained steady pressure since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized during a raid in early January and taken to the United States, where the former president is facing criminal charges.
Although Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s deputy, has repeatedly stated that the US does not govern Venezuela, she has largely avoided direct confrontation with Washington. US President Donald Trump initially claimed the US would “run” Venezuela following Maduro’s capture, before later backing Rodríguez as interim leader.
Earlier this month, Trump said he had spoken by phone with Rodríguez and praised her as a “terrific person,” adding that the US was “getting along very well with Venezuela.” CNN has contacted the White House for comment on Rodríguez’s latest remarks.
For the past 25 years, oil-rich Venezuela has been in persistent confrontation with the US. However, following Maduro’s removal, Washington has shifted its focus toward securing a stable governing authority in Caracas.
nternally, Venezuela remains deeply divided. Factions include Maduro loyalists, left-wing critics of his leadership, and so-called “Chavistas No-Maduristas,” supporters of the late Hugo Chávez who accuse Maduro of betraying socialist principles.
Opposition figures continue to monitor developments closely. Trump recently said he would like to see opposition leader María Corina Machado involved in Venezuela’s leadership. Machado reportedly met Trump at the White House earlier this month.
Following US strikes on Caracas in early January, the Trump administration outlined several conditions for engagement, including demands that Venezuela sever ties with China, Iran, Russia and Cuba, and partner exclusively with the US on oil production, according to senior White House officials.
Oil remains Venezuela’s main economic lifeline. The country holds the world’s largest reserves of extra-heavy crude, a resource that requires complex refining but is compatible with US refineries. Rodríguez is expected to prioritise US companies in future oil sales as negotiations continue.
CNN correspondents Ivonne Valdes Garay, Isabelle D’Antonio, Rocio Muñoz-Ledo and Mauricio Torres contributed to this report.