Nicolas Maduro is still the 'legitimate president' of Venezuela, acting leader says
This comes as Delcy Rodriguez welcomed US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday to discuss how Venezuela’s vast oil reserves are to be distributed
Nicolas Maduro is still the legitimate leader of Venezuela, the country's acting president Delcy Rodriguez has said.
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As Mr Maduro sits in a federal detention facility in New York after being captured by U.S. forces last month, Ms Rodriguez said that they are both "legitimate" leaders.
"I can tell you President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president. I will tell you this as a lawyer, that I am," she told NBC News.
"Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the first lady, are both innocent."
Ms Rodriguez welcomed U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday to discuss how Venezuela’s vast oil reserves are to be distributed.
"I can tell you I am in charge of the presidency of Venezuela, as it’s stated clearly in the constitution of Venezuela," she said.
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"And from the amount of work that I have, from how busy I am, I can tell you it’s very, very hard work and we’re doing it completely day by day."
The former Venezuelan leader arrived in New York in shackles and surrounded by armed officers back in January.
According to US attorney general Pam Bondi, Maduro faces charges of:
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy
- Cocaine importation conspiracy
- Possession of machine guns and destructive devices
- And conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US
After Maduro's capture, Ms Rodriguez was very critical of the Trump administration and their military action against Venezuela.
In recent days, she has given in to US pressure and has taken two phone calls with US president Donald Trump.
“I have been invited to the States,” Rodríguez said.
"We’re contemplating coming there once we establish this cooperation and we can move forward with everything."
However, opposition figures have criticised Rodriguez as not so different from Maduro's authoritarian rule.
After being released from prison on Sunday, leading opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was rearrested.
He is currently under house arrest, according to a post on X by his son Ramon Guanipa.
$1 billion of Venezuelan oil has been sold, with another $5 billion in oil sales expected in the next months, energy secretary Chris Wright told NBC News.
"So the Venezuelans are in charge here in Venezuela, but the United States has enormous leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela - the largest revenue source that funds the government, that funds the government of Venezuela is now controlled by the United States," Wright said.
"If they’re driving positive change that benefits Americans and is improving the life opportunities of people in Venezuela, that money will flow.
"If they steer off that path, we have just simply tremendous leverage."
Questions remain if María Corina Machado, Venezuela’s most prominent opposition activist, can safely return to the country.
Ms Machado gifted her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump during a White House visit last month, but she has yet to be considered as a serious political contender in Venezuela.