CARACAS – Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez has intensified her criticisms of both the country’s opposition leadership and the United States, framing them as external influences seeking to shape Venezuela’s internal politics. The rhetoric comes as tensions remain high between Caracas and Washington following a U.S. military operation earlier this year that led to the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez has publicly singled out opposition leader María Corina Machado, accusing her of aligning too closely with U.S. interests and of “celebrating” actions against the previous Venezuelan government. Machado, who recently held meetings in Washington with U.S. officials, has been a vocal opponent of Maduro and has positioned herself as a key figure in calls for democratic reforms, but Rodríguez suggests this engagement amounts to undue foreign interference.
In speeches this week, Rodríguez demanded that Venezuela be allowed to “resolve its differences” without what she described as “orders from Washington,” signaling increasing frustration with U.S. influence over domestic affairs. Her statements reflect a broader attempt by the interim government to assert national sovereignty even as it navigates pressure from abroad.
At the same time, U.S. policymakers — including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — have described their approach as one of conditional engagement, emphasizing cooperation rather than conflict. In recent testimony to the U.S. Senate, Rubio stopped short of ruling out military action if Caracas fails to meet U.S. expectations, but stressed that Washington’s priority remains a peaceful transition and political stability in Venezuela.
While U.S. officials continue to press for cooperation, Rodríguez has tried to strike a nuanced tone in some statements, acknowledging dialogue with American diplomats while maintaining a firm stance against perceived intervention. Despite these diplomatic overtures, she has reiterated her criticism of external pressure and defended the interim government’s right to chart its own course.
Opposition figures like Machado have publicly declared their intention to return to Venezuela and participate in a political transition following the capture of Maduro, though there is no confirmation of formal charges or arrest warrants against her at this time. Her meetings with U.S. officials and expressions of support for democratic reforms highlight divisions within the Venezuelan political landscape and underscore the complex interplay between internal and external actors.
Overall, while strong rhetoric persists on all sides, there is no official confirmation from primary sources of a defensive military plan against the U.S. nor of formal arrest orders against the opposition leader as a result of these tensions.
