Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez has declared she's had "enough" of United States directives, setting up a direct confrontation with the Trump administration over oil sanctions and the terms of Venezuela's post-Maduro transition.
The defiant stance, reported by CNN, represents a significant test of Washington's leverage over Caracas as the country attempts to stabilize after January's leadership change. Rodríguez's willingness to challenge U.S. demands suggests that Venezuela's transitional government believes it has more room to maneuver than Washington anticipated.
The Trump administration has maintained oil sanctions on Venezuela despite the departure of Nicolás Maduro, insisting on conditions for sanctions relief including democratic reforms, transparent governance, and cooperation on migration and drug trafficking. Rodríguez's public rejection of these demands raises questions about whether the U.S. strategy of pressure and conditionality will work with Venezuela's new leadership.
Venezuelan officials argue that continued sanctions punish ordinary citizens rather than the political elite, and that the country needs immediate sanctions relief to begin economic recovery. The humanitarian crisis created by years of economic collapse—hyperinflation, food scarcity, healthcare system failure—cannot be addressed while oil revenues remain blocked, they contend.
From Washington's perspective, sanctions leverage represents the primary tool for shaping Venezuela's political trajectory. Lifting sanctions without guarantees of democratic transition and accountability for human rights abuses would squander the moment of maximum U.S. influence, Trump administration officials believe.
In Venezuela, as across nations experiencing collapse, oil wealth that once seemed a blessing became a curse—and ordinary people pay the price. The country sits atop the world's largest proven oil reserves, yet millions fled in desperation as the petro-state model imploded under corruption, mismanagement, and sanctions.
Rodríguez's defiance also signals internal Venezuelan political dynamics. As acting president, she must balance pressures from different factions within the Chavista movement, the military, opposition groups, and the international community. Appearing too conciliatory toward Washington could undermine her domestic position, while excessive confrontation risks isolating Venezuela economically.
Regional powers including Colombia, Brazil, and Chile—countries hosting millions of Venezuelan refugees—are watching closely. They have economic and humanitarian interests in Venezuelan stability, but also concerns about legitimizing a government that may not represent genuine democratic transition.
The Trump administration has not yet responded publicly to Rodríguez's statement. How Washington calibrates its next move will test whether the United States can effectively support Venezuela's transition without either abandoning leverage or pushing the country toward isolation and continued crisis.
