Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez delivered a forceful assertion of national sovereignty on January 7, 2026, unequivocally stating that the Venezuelan government alone holds authority within its borders and explicitly rejecting any notion of foreign governance, in direct rebuttal to U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated claims of American oversight following the abrupt ousting of Nicolás Maduro.

Trump escalated the rhetoric late Tuesday via his Truth Social platform, proclaiming that Rodriguez would imminently authorize the transfer of 30 to 50 million barrels of high-quality, previously sanctioned Venezuelan crude oil to the United States, with all proceeds to be directed and controlled personally by his administration through newly appointed Energy Secretary Chris Wright for immediate execution.

Addressing the nation from Caracas exactly three days after the daring U.S. special forces operation that seized Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their residence, Rodriguez proclaimed Venezuela a proud people that "does not surrender," while declaring a week-long period of national mourning to honor those killed in the raid, including confirmed military casualties.

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Venezuela's armed forces released their first official tally of losses, listing 23 soldiers—including five high-ranking generals—killed during the strikes, while close ally Cuba separately confirmed the deaths of 32 Cuban military advisors embedded with Maduro's security detail, underscoring the international dimensions of the confrontation.

Thousands of loyalists rallied in the streets of Caracas under the leadership of influential Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, chanting against U.S. intervention and demanding the couple's release, as opposition figure Maria Corina Machado cautioned international observers against trusting Rodriguez due to her deep ties to the previous regime's alleged corruption, repression, and alliances with Russia, China, and Iran.

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