Acting President Delcy Rodríguez issued a message highlighting Venezuela’s desire to live free from external threats and in an environment of mutual respect. She emphasized that global peace begins with peace within each nation and stressed the importance of balanced international relations grounded in sovereign equality and non-interference.
Rodríguez called on the United States to work with Venezuela on a cooperative agenda aimed at regional development and community coexistence within the framework of international law. She underlined that dialogue, not conflict, should guide relations, noting that President Nicolás Maduro has consistently championed this approach.
The acting president portrayed a vision of Venezuela united in peace, development, and sovereignty, stating that all Venezuelans deserve a future built on collaboration and stability. “This is the Venezuela I believe in and have dedicated my life to,” Rodríguez said, emphasizing the country’s right to peace, progress, and self-determination.
Meanwhile, leftist political scholar Tariq Ali shared a critical perspective on social media. On his Facebook page, Ali posted, “Just heard from a comrade in Caracas. He writes regarding the Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, a character who never impressed me at all: ‘I know that for the last several weeks Delcy was talking to the Americans. First they didn’t want to talk to her, they wanted to talk to someone from the army, but she told them that she had the army in control, which is a joke.’”
Ali’s comments are at best unhelpful. Rodriguez made further comments that clearly rejected the US claim to Venezuela and its resources. According to Chris Gilbert in Caracas, “Much to the contrary, Rodríguez indicated that she and the Venezuelan government are all loyal to Nicolás Maduro and are running the country. Instead of negotiating, she indicated that “Venezuela is a colony of no country” and that it will remain completely sovereign. Hence, despite Maduro’s kidnapping, Venezuela’s revolutionary government remains in charge.”. Of course, time will tell. One need only remember George W Bush declaring the mission accomplished in Iraq and the insurgency and civil conflict that took place for years afterwards