U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez could ‘pay a bigger price’ than leader Nicolás Maduro if she does not ‘do the right thing.
In an interview with The Atlantic magazine on January 4, U.S. President Donald Trump warned of consequences if Delcy Rodríguez, who has just been appointed Venezuela’s interim president, fails to comply with U.S. demands.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump had praised Rodríguez after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas. However, Rodríguez later declared that her country would protect its natural resources.
“If she doesn’t do the right thing, she will pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in a telephone interview as he arrived at the West Palm Beach golf course in Florida.
The U.S. president also defended the decision to detain President Maduro through military action on January 3.
The United States has accused Venezuela of involvement in drug trafficking activities and has demanded that Caracas put an end to them, keep its distance from U.S. adversaries and armed proxy groups such as Hezbollah, and allow the United States to monitor Venezuela’s oil operations.
Trump’s warning came just one day after the United States launched a military operation against Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, taking them to New York. Maduro is expected to appear in a Manhattan court today, January 5, to face charges related to drugs and weapons.
After completing the operation to detain President Maduro, Trump said his team had held talks with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, and that Rodríguez had indicated she was essentially “ready to do what the United States believes is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that Venezuela’s next leader must act in line with U.S. interests. Those interests include preventing Venezuela’s oil industry from falling into the hands of U.S. adversaries.
He said Washington continues to maintain “leverage” through a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
“That means their economy will not be able to move forward until conditions aligned with the national interests of the United States and the interests of the Venezuelan people are met,” he said.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who also serves as oil minister, has assumed the role of interim leader with the approval of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, although she has insisted that Maduro remains president.
Thanks to her ties to the private sector and deep knowledge of the oil industry, Rodríguez has long been regarded as the most pragmatic figure within Maduro’s inner circle. However, she has publicly rejected Trump’s claim that she is willing to cooperate with the United States.
On the same day, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the detention of President Maduro, saying the country’s armed forces had been activated to safeguard national sovereignty.
🔍 1. Political context of the warning
Trump’s warning came at a time when power in Venezuela was in transition, following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. In this context, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has emerged as a central figure with practical influence, despite only holding an interim role.
Observers suggest that Trump’s remarks aim to:
Shape the behavior of the interim government from the outset
Apply public pressure to compel Caracas to make decisions in line with U.S. interests
🛢️ 2. Oil – the main leverage for U.S. pressure
Venezuela’s oil sector, one of the world’s largest reserves, is a key lever in U.S.–Venezuela relations.
Typical U.S. demands in this context include:
Allowing Western energy companies to reopen or expand operations
Ensuring transparency in oil exports
Preventing Venezuelan oil from falling into the hands of U.S. strategic rivals
Thus, the warning that Rodríguez could “pay a bigger price” is interpreted as a signal that sanctions may be eased or tightened depending on her stance.
🌎 3. Message to domestic forces in Venezuela
Beyond targeting Rodríguez personally, Trump’s statement is also seen as:
A message to the military and political elite in Venezuela
Encouraging power centers to consider cooperating with the U.S. to avoid more severe consequences
This approach aligns with the U.S. strategy of combining economic pressure with political signaling during Latin American crises.
⚖️ 4. Rodríguez’s dilemma
Delcy Rodríguez faces a difficult choice:
Accommodate U.S. demands: could reduce sanctions but undermine domestic legitimacy
Take a hardline stance: strengthens sovereignty credentials but increases the risk of economic isolation
Delay or negotiate: buying time to gain international support, but this strategy is fragile if U.S. pressure intensifies
📌 5. Overall assessment
Trump’s warning represents strategic deterrence, not merely a personal statement
Delcy Rodríguez is viewed as a key figure determining Venezuela’s next steps
These developments could significantly affect the oil market, U.S.–Latin America relations, and regional political dynamics
