I'm Fed Up of Orders from US -Venezuela's Acting President

January 26, 2026

CARACAS — Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez delivered a significant rebuke to the United States, declaring that her nation has had “enough” of taking orders from Washington as Caracas navigates the aftermath of the dramatic capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.

Speaking to oil workers in Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez said the country has endured too much foreign interference and stressed that Venezuelans must resolve their own political differences without external dictates. 

“Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela. Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and internal conflicts,” she said in remarks broadcast on state television. 

Her comments mark one of the firmest public challenges yet from Rodríguez against U.S. influence since she assumed leadership earlier this month after a U.S. military operation in Caracas resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Washington’s action drew international shock and raised complex questions about sovereignty, international law, and regional stability. 

The interim president emphasized the need for national unity amidst mounting pressure from abroad, even as some domestic reforms — including the release of more than 100 political prisoners — continue under her administration. 

Human rights groups report that these releases are part of broader efforts to calm political tensions across the country.

Rodríguez’s remarks come amid an ongoing diplomatic tug-of-war. In the days following Maduro’s capture, U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested that Washington would effectively govern Venezuela during a transitional period, including pushing for the revival of the country’s vital oil sector. Rodríguez has since maintained that the United States has no governing role in Venezuelan affairs, signaling resistance to what she describes as excessive influence. 

At the same time, the acting president has indicated a willingness to engage with the U.S. through dialogue rather than confrontation — urging disputes be addressed “face to face” with dignity.

Observers say Rodríguez is trying to walk a delicate tightrope: asserting Venezuelan sovereignty while avoiding a complete rupture with Washington, upon whose support some sectors still depend to stabilize the economy and reopen oil production. 

The evolving situation has generated sharply divergent reactions across Venezuela and beyond. Some opposition leaders view the U.S. intervention as a historic turning point toward democracy and economic revival. 

Prominent opposition figure Maria Corina Machado — who has returned from exile — praised the capture of Maduro as a moment akin to the fall of the Berlin Wall and a chance to rebuild a democratic Venezuela. 

Others warn that Rodríguez’s resistance to U.S. directives could deepen political fragmentation or stall urgently needed reforms, especially in the oil sector, which remains critical to Venezuela’s financial survival.

As Rodríguez seeks to unite a deeply divided nation, her defiant rhetoric toward Washington underscores broader tensions over national sovereignty, economic control, and the future direction of Venezuela’s government. Whether her stance will strengthen her position domestically, or further strain ties with powerful external actors, remains to be seen.

For now, Rodríguez’s message is clear: Venezuela’s destiny must be decided by Venezuelans.