Trump Warns Venezuela's New Leader: Comply or Face Severe U.S. Action
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a series of stark warnings to Venezuela's new acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, demanding compliance with American interests or facing severe consequences, potentially greater than those imposed on her captured predecessor.
The warnings follow a reported U.S. military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump declared the United States is now "in charge" of the country and will oversee its affairs [41735][41788]. He stated the U.S. would directly "run" Venezuela to manage a transition of power and rebuild its shattered economy [40790][41232].
In multiple statements, Trump told Rodríguez she must "do what's right" and cooperate with U.S. demands [41805][41706]. He explicitly warned that failure to do so would result in her paying a "big price," with several reports indicating he said the repercussions could be "probably bigger than Maduro" [41650][41593][41737]. The nature of this price was not specified but is understood to include the threat of further military action [41805][40794].
Rodríguez, who was Maduro's vice president, assumed power after his alleged arrest. The U.S. and dozens of other nations had previously recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president, calling Maduro's 2018 re-election a fraud [33422][40966]. Trump's administration has long accused Maduro's regime of corruption, human rights abuses, and narcoterrorism [41735][41620].
The immediate U.S. goals include securing a safe political transition and access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world [41584]. Trump indicated that new presidential elections would be delayed until an economic recovery is complete [41788].
This direct threat creates immediate and intense pressure on Rodríguez's new government, signaling that U.S. pressure will continue unabated despite the change in leadership [41650][41706]. The situation leaves Venezuela's political future highly uncertain, with the U.S. promising a confrontational approach if its conditions are not met [41620].