Delcy Rodríguez Stands Firm Against Washington: «Venezuela Does Not Take Orders from Any External Factor»

Original article: Delcy Rodríguez le planta cara a Washington: «Venezuela no acepta órdenes de ningún factor externo»

«The people of Venezuela have a government, and this government obeys the people. It is the reciprocity in the relationship between the Venezuelan people, their authorities, and their institutions,» asserted Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of the Caribbean nation.

The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, boldly confronted Washington, declaring that her country «does not accept orders from any external factor» while defending its governmental structure.

«The people of Venezuela do not take orders from any external factor; the people of Venezuela have a government, and this government obeys the people,» Rodríguez stated on Monday, in response to comments made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which she described as offensive.

«The U.S. Treasury Secretary has made some inappropriate and offensive remarks, and I must respond: the people of Venezuela do not accept orders,» she articulated during an event concerning the Public Consultation on the Partial Reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law.

Bessent claimed that the administration of President Donald Trump would gradually lift sanctions against Venezuela and that when Washington decides it is time, there will be «free and fair elections» in the Caribbean nation.

When questioned about the timeline for lifting the sanctions, he mentioned that the process could occur «as soon as next week,» although he did not specify which measures would be lifted.

«The people of Venezuela have a government, and this government obeys the people. We have no other external factors to obey,» Rodríguez reaffirmed.

«It is the reciprocity in that relationship between the Venezuelan people, their authorities, and their institutions,» she emphasized.

The interim president assured that her country does not fear relations with the United States but made it clear that «they must be based on respect, legality, minimum respect in interpersonal relationships, and respect for the dignity and history of Venezuela.»

«This is what the Venezuelans are willing to embrace,» she added during her address, broadcasted on the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).

Rodríguez: «Enough with the Orders from Washington»

On Sunday, during a meeting with oil workers in Puerto La Cruz (northwest), the Chavista leader defended the dialogue proposed by her administration with the Republican magnate as a means to resolve «divergences» and «internal conflicts.» However, she rejected the «orders» from Washington regarding Venezuela and the Bolivarian government.

«Therefore, it is crucial that we open spaces for democratic divergence, but it must be politics with a capital P and a V for Venezuela. Enough with the orders from Washington over politicians in Venezuela; it must be Venezuelan politics that resolves our divergences and internal conflicts,» she declared on that occasion.

Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president of Venezuela by order of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) on January 5, two days after military attacks by the United States against the Caribbean nation, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and culminated in the kidnapping of constitutional President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The interim president has made it clear that this new chapter of political dialogue between Caracas and Washington does not represent «a sign of weakness.»

«It is not that the interim president is afraid because she is being threatened. No: all of Venezuela is threatened. That is why I call for national unity, so that, with sovereignty at the forefront, we can fight diplomatically,» she emphasized.