Trump Warns Venezuela’s New Leader of “Big Price” if She Resists U.S. Demands
Summary: President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, declaring she will “pay a very big price” if she fails to cooperate with U.S. intervention following the dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro.
The political landscape in Venezuela has shifted dramatically in early January 2026 after U.S. forces carried out a covert military operation that led to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Maduro is now detained in New York on narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges, marking a watershed moment in Washington’s long-standing confrontation with Caracas. In the wake of this upheaval, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim leader, backed by the Venezuelan Supreme Court and military forces.
Rodríguez, a seasoned politician with a long history in Maduro’s government as vice president, foreign minister, and oil minister, now faces immense pressure both domestically and internationally.
Her ascension comes at a time of instability, with Venezuela’s institutions weakened and its population deeply divided. While she initially signaled willingness to cooperate with U.S. officials, Trump’s latest remarks suggest a hardening stance from Washington.
Speaking to The Atlantic on January 4, Trump warned that Rodríguez could face consequences “probably bigger than Maduro” if she does not “do what’s right” and align with U.S. interests.
The president’s comments underscore Washington’s intent to exert control over Venezuela’s future, particularly its vast oil reserves. Trump emphasized that U.S. officials would “run” Venezuela until stability is restored, a statement that has sparked controversy among critics who view it as an assertion of neo-colonial influence.
The warning marks a sharp reversal from Trump’s earlier tone. Just a day before, he praised Rodríguez for being “gracious” in conversations with U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and suggested she was willing to cooperate in rebuilding Venezuela. However, her subsequent resistance to U.S. involvement appears to have triggered Trump’s threat of severe repercussions.
Internationally, Rodríguez has sought to balance her position by engaging with allies such as Russia, signaling that she may resist full compliance with Washington’s demands. This raises the prospect of a geopolitical tug-of-war over Venezuela’s future, with the country’s oil wealth at the center of global strategic interests.
The situation remains fluid. Trump’s warning has heightened tensions and placed Rodríguez in a precarious position: she must navigate between appeasing U.S. pressure and maintaining sovereignty in a nation already fractured by years of economic crisis and political turmoil.
Whether she chooses cooperation or defiance will determine not only her own fate but also the trajectory of Venezuela’s fragile democracy.
Trump’s warning to Delcy Rodríguez represents a pivotal moment in U.S.-Venezuela relations.
With Maduro captured and Washington asserting dominance, Rodríguez faces a defining choice that could either stabilize Venezuela under U.S. oversight or plunge the nation into deeper conflict.
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