Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has said she has had “enough” of instructions coming from Washington. Her remarks come just weeks after she said Caracas would “cooperate” with President Donald Trump following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez is walking a tightrope. On one hand, she needs to keep the support of Maduro’s loyalists inside Venezuela. On the other, she must manage relations with the White House, which is backing her temporary leadership of the country.
Speaking to oil workers in the city of Puerto La Cruz, Rodríguez made her position clear. “Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she said.
She stressed that the country should handle its own political issues without outside interference. “Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and our internal conflicts. This Republic has paid a very high price for having to confront the consequences of fascism and extremism in our country,” she added.
US influence remains strong after Maduro’s capture
The United States has played a major role in Venezuela’s internal affairs since its forces captured Maduro and his wife earlier this month. Washington has been especially influential in decisions linked to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Although Rodríguez has repeatedly said that Venezuela is “not ruled by the US,” she has largely avoided directly confronting Washington until now.
Her latest comments signal growing frustration, even as she continues to balance domestic pressure with international expectations.
Venezuela claims release of hundreds of political prisoners
At the same time, Venezuela’s interim government says it has released more than 800 political prisoners since before last December. However, human rights groups have questioned these figures.
Progress had been slow for weeks. Then, on Saturday, authorities suddenly freed around 100 prisoners in a short span.
Despite this, many families are still waiting outside prisons in makeshift camps, hoping their relatives will be released.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television, “As of today, before December and now, there have been 808 releases.” He did not clearly explain the time period he was referring to.
Earlier, Rodríguez had said that 626 prisoners had been freed since December, a process she said was started by Maduro himself.
Rights group disputes official numbers
The human rights organisation Foro Penal has challenged the government’s claims. It said it has confirmed far fewer releases than the numbers announced by officials.
According to the group, 383 political prisoners have been verified as released since December, including some foreign nationals. Since January 8, when the government announced a large-scale release of political detainees, the confirmed number stands at 266.
“It doesn’t match any of the figures” being tracked independently, Foro Penal vice president Gonzalo Himiob said, raising doubts about the government’s statements.