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The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, warned that the opposition leader María Corina Machado will have to answer for her actions if she decides to return to the country, in statements made during an exclusive interview with NBC News.
When asked by journalist Kristen Welker whether she would guarantee that Machado could return safely and even run for the presidency, Rodríguez replied: “Look, regarding her life, we don't understand why many times situations are created—I'm not going to say it's a show—but situations are created that don't exist. As for María Corina Machado, she needs to answer to the country for her call for Venezuela to be economically blocked, she must respond to the economic sectors of the country for the economic aggression, she needs to explain to the country why she has called for the invasion of Venezuela, she must clarify why she applauded external military aggression against Venezuela. There are many aspects where this person will need to answer to Venezuela.”
In the same interview, Rodríguez insisted that "President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president" of Venezuela and stated that both he and Cilia Flores "are innocent," despite the fact that the former president remains detained in a federal facility in New York following his capture on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“I can tell you that President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president. I say this as a lawyer. Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the First Lady, are innocent,” she stated. She also affirmed: “I can say that I am in charge of the presidency of Venezuela, as clearly established by the Venezuelan Constitution. And due to the amount of work I have, because I am so busy, I can tell you that it is a very, very hard job, and we are doing it completely day by day.”
The statements come amid a shift in relations between Caracas and Washington. This Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that relations with Venezuela have been "extraordinary" and claimed that "oil is starting to flow," according to a post on his social network Truth Social.
The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, who visited Caracas this week, commented on his work with Rodríguez: “Ronald Reagan said, ‘trust, but verify.’ Trust, but verify. We have been working with Delcy for five weeks. It has been an incredible cooperation.” He also noted that the cooperation “has had a tremendous start” and emphasized changes in hydrocarbon legislation, according to the interview given to NBC News.
According to Wright, more than 1 billion dollars’ worth of Venezuelan oil has already been sold, and another 5 billion is expected in the coming months.
Rodríguez also confirmed that she has been invited to the United States. “I have been invited to the United States,” she said, adding that they are “considering going there once we establish this cooperation and can move forward with everything.”
The warning against Machado comes weeks after Trump publicly praised the opposition leader following their meeting at the White House and left open the possibility of including her in the transition process. On that occasion, the president described her as "an incredible woman" and stated, "We are talking to María, maybe we can involve her in some way. I would love to be able to do that."
Machado has advocated for a democratic transition without the participation of the PSUV and recently stated that he does not believe his life is in danger if he returns to Venezuela, due to the pressure exerted by the United States on the interim authorities.
It is worth noting that last December, Machado left Venezuela in a secret operation, after spending 16 months in hiding to avoid an arrest warrant from Nicolás Maduro's regime. The opposition leader escaped by sea on a boat from the country's western coast to the island of Curacao, and from there traveled on a private plane to Oslo, where her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf. According to international reports, the operation received logistical support from the United States and was coordinated with allies to ensure her safety.
The transition process in Venezuela, for its part, is advancing in parallel to the energy agreements between Caracas and Washington, in a context marked by Maduro's capture, the reconfiguration of internal power, and the decisive role of the United States in the new political phase of the country.
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