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Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez Rejects U.S. Oil Demands Following Maduro Capture

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Rodríguez’s Defiant Speech to Oil Workers In Puerto La Cruz, the acting president told oil‑field employees she had “enough” of U.S. orders, demanding that internal Venezuelan politics be resolved without foreign interference; the address aired on state channel Venezolana de Televisión and underscored her resolve to resist external pressure [1].

U.S. Raid Captured Maduro and Flores Early January U.S. forces seized former president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, transporting them to the United States where Maduro now faces criminal charges, marking a dramatic escalation in bilateral tensions and reshaping the power vacuum in Caracas [1].

Trump Shifts Stance to Support Interim Leader After initially claiming the United States would “run” Venezuela following the raid, President Donald Trump later endorsed Rodríguez as the interim leader, signaling a policy pivot from direct control to backing a local authority [1].

Washington Issues Stringent Oil‑Related Conditions Senior White House officials outlined demands that Venezuela cut ties with China, Iran, Russia and Cuba, partner exclusively with the United States on oil production, and give priority to U.S. oil companies for future sales, tying economic relief to geopolitical alignment [1].

Venezuela’s Political Landscape Remains Fragmented The country is split among Maduro loyalists, a left‑wing opposition, and “Chavistas No‑Maduristas,” who reject Maduro while upholding Hugo Chávez’s socialist ideals, complicating any unified response to external pressures [1].

Extra‑Heavy Crude Keeps Venezuela Economically Strategic Holding the world’s largest reserves of extra‑heavy crude, Venezuela’s oil remains valuable despite requiring complex refining; its compatibility with U.S. refineries sustains its role as the nation’s primary economic driver [1].

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Timeline

Dec 25, 2025 – The White House directs the military to enforce a two‑month quarantine of Venezuelan oil, emphasizing sanctions over overt force as the primary lever on Caracas while keeping limited military options on standby[35].

1973 – The United States backs a coup that topples Chile’s democratically elected president Salvador Allende, establishing a precedent for covert regime‑change operations in Latin America that scholars cite when comparing the 2026 Maduro raid[14].

1989 – U.S. forces invade Panama and remove leader Manuel Noriega, a later example of American intervention used to illustrate the risks of long‑term occupation after a swift military success[14].

Jan 3, 2026 – Delta Force operatives execute a “snatch‑and‑grab” raid in Caracas, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and transporting them to New York; President Trump declares “the United States will run Venezuela” and promises to tap the country’s oil reserves for U.S. firms, while the operation involves over 150 aircraft, results in dozens of casualties, and draws condemnation from China, Russia and the UN[14†30†31†32†33†34†36†37†38†39†40].

Jan 4, 2026 – Venezuela’s Constitutional Chamber swears in former vice‑president Delcy Rodríguez as interim president; the U.S. reiterates that it will not manage day‑to‑day governance but will maintain an oil quarantine and press Caracas to cut ties with China, Russia and Iran, while President Trump again says “the United States will run Venezuela” and promises to sell 30‑50 million barrels of oil to fund the transition[24†25†26†27†28†23†22].

Jan 5, 2026 – The Trump administration officially recognises Rodríguez as the “so‑called acting president,” prioritising short‑term stability and oil‑revenue generation over backing opposition leader María Corina Machado; Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlines a three‑stage plan beginning with stabilisation and supervised marketing of 30‑50 million barrels, and President Trump warns Rodríguez she will “pay a very big price” if she does not cooperate[1†5†7†20†21].

Jan 6, 2026 – Legal scholars debate the raid’s legality, questioning sovereignty violations and the lack of UN or congressional authorisation; President Trump repeats that the United States will “run” Venezuela, while opposition figures reaffirm commitment to a U.S.–backed transition despite Trump’s doubts about Machado’s leadership, and U.S. intelligence assessments warning of post‑raid violence are cited as influencing the decision to work with Rodríguez[13†15†12†1].

Jan 7, 2026 – U.S. forces seize Maduro in Caracas, killing dozens of members of the presidential honour guard; Rodríguez dismisses General Javier Marcano Tábata as guard chief and appoints former intelligence chief Gustavo González López, signalling an immediate security shake‑up; President Trump threatens Rodríguez with “a fate worse than Maduro’s” if she fails to meet U.S. demands, while the administration discusses taking up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil[2†3†9†10†11].

Jan 8, 2026 – The United States backs Rodríguez as interim leader, framing the move as a pragmatic choice for stability rather than regime change; Rubio describes a staged approach that first stabilises the country and markets 30‑50 million barrels of oil before moving to reconciliation and eventual elections, while analysts warn that Rodríguez’s Chavista background may preserve old power networks[1].

Jan 26, 2026 – Speaking to oil workers in Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez declares she has “enough” of U.S. directives, demanding Washington stop issuing orders and insisting Venezuelan politics resolve internal conflicts without external pressure[6].

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