Trump Issues Stark Warning to Venezuela’s New Leader as Caracas Urges Restraint After Maduro’s Dramatic Capture

In a tense escalation of U.S.-Venezuela relations, President Donald Trump has cautioned interim President Delcy Rodriguez that she could face severe consequences if she fails to act appropriately, following American forces’ seizure of ousted leader Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking in an interview with The Atlantic magazine, Trump stated that Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president since 2018 and managed key aspects of the country’s oil economy and intelligence operations, might “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro” if she does not meet expectations.

Trump defended the forceful removal of Maduro, describing regime change as preferable to the existing conditions. “Rebuilding there and regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can’t get any worse,” he remarked during a phone interview en route to his Florida golf course.

The U.S. president also hinted at potential interventions elsewhere, asserting a need for Greenland and predicting Cuba’s imminent collapse without subsidized Venezuelan oil.

Rodriguez, now in the line of succession, has advocated for improved ties with Washington. “We consider it a priority to move toward a balanced and respectful relationship between the US and Venezuela,” she posted on Telegram, extending an invitation for cooperative efforts on shared development.

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Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez issued a stern alert, describing the U.S. actions as a grave risk to international stability. “If today it was against Venezuela, tomorrow it could be against any state or any country,” he warned, urging citizens to maintain calm and resume normal activities amid what he called psychological warfare.

Lopez demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, emphasizing national unity against “imperial aggression.”

Maduro and his wife arrived at a New York-area airport on Saturday after a nighttime raid on their Caracas residence in a military base. The operation, labeled “imperialist” by Venezuelan officials, marks the boldest U.S. effort at regime change since the 2003 Iraq invasion, raising legal concerns over its execution without congressional approval. The couple faces U.S. charges related to narco-terrorism conspiracy.