Caracas – Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez has called for cooperation with the United States following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. operation, a move that has ignited international debate.
A Plea for Dialogue Amidst Capture
Rodríguez urged President Donald Trump to pursue “peace and dialogue, not war” after Maduro and his wife were taken into custody.
- Delcy Rodríguez assumed presidential duties after Maduro’s capture on Saturday.
- Rodríguez called for a respectful relationship and cooperation with the U.S.
- The U.S. accuses Maduro and his wife of crimes related to narcoterrorism, charges Venezuela denies.
- The operation has drawn mixed reactions from countries across the Americas.
“President Donald Trump: our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. That has always been the tenet of President Nicolás Maduro and is that of all of Venezuela at this time,” Rodríguez said in a message disseminated through her official Telegram channel.
Rodríguez made the appeal after assuming the role of acting president and leading her first session of the Council of Ministers, one day after the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela (TSJ) ordered her, as executive vice president, to take over the presidential functions provisionally due to Maduro’s inability to serve.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in an American operation in Caracas on Saturday, according to reports.
“Our country aspires to live without external threats, in an environment of respect and international cooperation. We believe that global peace is built by guaranteeing first the peace of each nation (…) We extend the invitation to the U.S. government to work jointly on a cooperation agenda, oriented towards shared development, within the framework of international legality and strengthen a lasting community coexistence,” Rodríguez stated.
The U.S. government has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
The capture of Maduro and his wife stems from U.S. accusations of crimes related to narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses, allegations that Venezuela vehemently rejects. Both Rodríguez and other high-ranking officials close to Maduro have condemned the military operation, characterizing the actions against the couple as a “kidnapping.” During a Council of Ministers session on Saturday, Rodríguez demanded the “immediate release” of Maduro and his wife.
The U.S. operation has sparked divided opinions both within Venezuela and internationally. Countries like Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico have criticized Washington’s deployment, deeming it a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty, while others, including Argentina and Ecuador, have expressed support.
