In the wake of former President Nicolás Maduro’s extraordinary rendition to the United States, Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has issued a profound appeal for international peace and sovereign respect. The dramatic capture of Maduro and his wife Cília Flores by U.S. forces from a Caracas compound on January 3rd has triggered a diplomatic crisis with far-reaching implications.
Through an official Facebook communiqué delivered on January 4th, Rodríguez articulated Venezuela’s vision for peaceful coexistence amidst escalating tensions. ‘Our nation aspires to exist free from external threats within a framework of mutual respect and international cooperation,’ she declared, emphasizing that global stability originates from securing peace within individual nations.
The acting president outlined Venezuela’s diplomatic priorities, stressing the necessity for ‘balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, founded upon principles of sovereign equality and non-interference.’ This statement represents both a diplomatic overture and a subtle condemnation of the military operation that extracted the South American leader.
Rodríguez directly addressed the Trump administration’s allegations of narco-terrorism against Maduro’s government—charges consistently denied by Venezuelan officials—while proposing an alternative path forward. She called for bilateral collaboration ‘within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence,’ explicitly urging President Trump to choose dialogue over confrontation.
In a poignant tribute, Rodríguez alongside Foreign Minister Yván Eduardo Gil Pinto honored 32 Cuban combatants reportedly killed during the extraction operation. Through Telegram channels, she memorialized these ‘martyred brothers’ as embodiments of courage and dignity, their sacrifice now ‘planted in the sacred land of Simón Bolívar.’
The acting president’s message transcends mere diplomatic rhetoric, representing a strategic positioning of Venezuela as a nation committed to peaceful resolution despite experiencing what it characterizes as ‘criminal U.S. military aggression.’ Her statements reflect both the immediate crisis response and a broader vision for Venezuela’s future regional role.