‘It was always about Venezuelan oil’: Delcy Rodriguez calls out US ‘falsehoods’ after Maduro capture

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has slammed the “energy greed” of the North, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s allegations of “drug-trafficking” and human rights violations as “falsehoods”.

Addressing the Venezuelan Parliament, Rodriguez said that the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores following a military operation in Caracas last week was always about Venezuelan oil.

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“And we have denounced all the falsehoods about drug trafficking, democracy, and human rights. They were the excuses because what has always been present is the (threat) that Venezuela’s oil must be handed over to the global North,” she said.

Noting that Venezuela is an energy powerhouse, the acting President said that vast energy resources have “brought us tremendous problems, because you all know that the energy greed of the North wants the resources of our country.”

Her remarks came days after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their Caracas safe house following a midnight military operation.

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Maduro and his wife were indicted on drug-trafficking charges and taken to the US, where they are facing several charges in a federal court.

Following the capture of Maduro, Trump had announced that the US will run Venezuela. He also asserted American control over Venezuelan oil reserves.

“We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need,” Trump told the New York Times.

Later, in a social media post on X, he said that the US has made a new oil deal with Venezuela.

“I have just been informed that Venezuela is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products, with the money they receive from our new Oil Deal,” Trump said, adding it was a “wise choice” for both countries.

According to the White House, all proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan crude oil and products will first settle in US-controlled accounts and then will be dispersed for the benefit of people of both nations “at the discretion of the US government”.