According to a report by Sky News, on Saturday January 3, 2025, Venezuelan state television aired a video address by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on Saturday, in which she emphatically declared that captured President Nicolas Maduro remains the "only" legitimate leader of Venezuela, directly contradicting recent statements from US President Donald Trump.
Rodriguez, whom Trump indicated would replace Maduro following his detention, used the broadcast to demand the immediate release of the embattled president and his wife.
Her remarks represent a significant pushback against Washington's apparent expectations for Venezuela's political transition.
"Maduro is the only president of Venezuela," Rodriguez stated firmly in the address, which appeared to have been recorded in the capital city of Caracas.
The vice president's declaration comes amid swirling speculation about her whereabouts, with earlier reports suggesting she might be in Russia—claims that Russian state media subsequently denied.
The video showed Rodriguez flanked by key government figures, including her brother Jorge Rodriguez, who leads the national assembly, as well as the nation's foreign, interior, and defense ministers.
The staged presentation appeared designed to project governmental continuity and unity during the crisis.
Rodriguez's address also addressed Trump's previous assertion that she had expressed willingness to cooperate with US directives for Venezuela.
Trump had claimed Rodriguez told Secretary of State Marco Rubio she was prepared to do "what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again," adding that the United States would run the country.
However, Rodriguez firmly rejected any notion of foreign control. "Venezuela will never be a colony of any nation," she declared, while simultaneously expressing openness to maintaining respectful relations with Trump's administration.
She emphasized that any diplomatic engagement must occur "within the framework of international and Venezuelan law."
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