Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said Thursday her government is “not afraid” of a diplomatic confrontation with the United States and called on Washington to show “respect for the dignity” of her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted by a U.S. military strike.“We have demanded from the government of the United States … respect for the dignity of President Nicolas Maduro and respect for the dignity and integrity of the first lady,” Cilia Flores, who is also in custody, said in an address to parliament, as quoted by AFP.Maduro and Flores were taken by U.S. forces to New York to face drug trafficking charges after Vice President Rodriquez was recognized as interim leader provided her government remains in Washington, particularly over access to Venezuela’s vast oil resources.Rodriguez also said her government is “not afraid” of a diplomatic confrontation with the United States. “We know they are very powerful, we know they are a deadly nuclear power… We are not afraid to confront them diplomatically and through political dialogue,” she said. Rodriguez, a Maduro ally, is seen as someone with whom US President Donald Trump is willing to work, provided she agrees to Washington’s instructions.Rodriguez spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, who described her as “a great person”.Trump said on social media that he and Rodriguez discussed “many topics,” including oil, minerals, trade and national security. “We are making tremendous progress,” he added.On oil, Rodriguez announced plans to reform the country’s oil legislation during her parliamentary address in order to realign relations with Washington.Without providing further details, Rodriguez told parliament that the reforms would affect Venezuela’s anti-blockade law, which gives the government tools to counter US sanctions imposed since 2019.Since Maduro’s capture, President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States now controls Venezuela and its oil sector and has demanded what he calls unfettered access.Rodriguez has walked a diplomatic tightrope, trying to meet Trump’s demands without angering Maduro loyalists who control Venezuela’s security forces and fear paramilitaries.She described her conversation with the US leader as “productive and polite” and marked by “mutual respect.”On Thursday, Rodriguez said that if she ever has to visit Washington as interim president, “I will stand, walk, and not be dragged.”While Trump has so far given the cold shoulder to the Venezuelan opposition, which is widely believed to have won the July 2024 presidential election, he met opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday for talks that the White House described as “positive.”
