(FILES) Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks during the presentation of the 2026 fiscal year budget at the National Congress in Caracas on December 4, 2025. On January 3, 2026, Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to become the country's interim leader after the United States seized President Nicolas Maduro and whisked him out of the country. (Photo by Pedro MATTEY / AFP)
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Firstpost07-01-2026, 06:16

Venezuela's Interim Prez Defies Trump: "No Foreign Power Running Country"

  • Interim President Delcy Rodriguez asserts Venezuela is self-governed, rejecting US President Trump's claim Washington would "run" the country.
  • Rodriguez's defiance follows US special forces' capture of former leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife in Caracas after airstrikes.
  • Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in a New York court, while Mexico calls for a fair trial.
  • Venezuela's military reported 23 troops killed in US strikes; Cuba confirmed 32 military personnel casualties, including Maduro's security detail.
  • Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado warns against trusting Rodriguez, citing her alleged involvement in corruption and ties to Russia, China, Iran.

Why It Matters: Venezuela's interim leader defies US control amidst Maduro's capture, facing internal and external pressures.

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