The Daily Populous Sunday January 4th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by commondreams.org and submitted by Smithy2232

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed the role of interim president following the US abduction of Nicolás Maduro, said in a televised address Saturday that "we will never again be a colony of any empire," defying the Trump administration's plan to indefinitely control Venezuela's government and exploit its vast oil reserves.

“We are determined to be free,” declared Rodríguez, who demanded that the US release Maduro from custody and said he is still Venezuela's president.

“What is being done to Venezuela is barbaric," she added.

Rodríguez's defiant remarks came after US President Donald Trump claimed he is "designating various people" to run Venezuela's government, suggested American troops could be deployed, and threatened a "second wave" of attacks on the country if its political officials don't bow to the Trump administration's demands.

Trump also threatened "all political and military figures in Venezuela," warning that "what happened to Maduro can happen to them." Maduro is currently detained in Brooklyn and facing fresh US charges.

Rodríguez's public remarks contradicted the US president's claim that she privately pledged compliance with the Trump administration's attempts to control Venezuela's political system and oil infrastructure. The interim president delivered her remarks alongside top Venezuelan officials, including legislative and judicial leaders, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, a projection of unity in the face of US aggression.

"Doesn’t feel like a nation that is ready to let Donald Trump and Marco Rubio 'run it,'" said US Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who condemned the Trump administration for "starting an illegal war with Venezuela that Americans didn’t ask for and has nothing to do with our security."

BraveOmeter on January 4th, 2026 at 15:44 UTC »

Excuse me I have it on good authority that we are going to be greeted as liberators just like the Iraqis did.

welltimedappearance on January 4th, 2026 at 13:29 UTC »

Yeah but the conservative subreddit said the opposition leader was gonna run things (before Dear* Leader said it was actually all about oil and announced the US was in charge)

Delybe on January 4th, 2026 at 13:25 UTC »

Trump half asses everything.