President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, cautioning that she could “pay a very big price” if she fails to cooperate with U.S. interests.
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This threat, delivered in an interview with The Atlantic, comes just days after a massive U.S. military strike in Caracas—Operation Absolute Resolve—which resulted in the capture of long-time leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
While Rodríguez initially adopted a conciliatory tone in her first cabinet meeting on Sunday, she has since demanded Maduro’s release, calling his detention a “barbaric kidnapping” and a violation of international law.
Meanwhile, Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to make a high-stakes appearance in a Manhattan federal court this Monday, January 5, 2026.
The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed a major indictment charging him with narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses, alleging he oversaw an illegitimate government that fueled drug trafficking into the United States.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists the U.S. is not “at war” with Venezuela, the use of over 150 aircraft and the subsequent oil blockade has sparked fierce debate in Washington, with some Democratic leaders labeling the operation an unauthorized “act of
war.”
CULLED FROM BBC
