Delcy Rodríguez, stated this Thursday that “the invasive aggression” carried out by the United States against the country on January 3 constitutes “a stain on the relationship between both nations,” and added that, in the current political context, her government “has decided to choose diplomatic means” to resolve the conflict. “We have the right to have, with all the people of the world. Also with the United States. We are a sovereign nation,” he added.
Rodríguez made these statements during the annual presentation of the Executive’s management before Parliament, a constitutional ritual that is celebrated at the beginning of each year in the Federal Legislative Palace. Several foreign ambassadors, governors and Chavismo authorities attended the session.
The president in charge, who in her latest statements has indicated that she dedicated a good part of her speech to honoring Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, captured during the US operation on January 3, and to raising the morale of the revolutionary militancy after the attack. Rodríguez recommitted himself to loyalty to the fundamental principles of Chavismo. “This work belongs to President Maduro,” he stated when presenting the document.
Rodríguez promised to work for the release of Maduro and Flores and asked for “a minute of applause” for the soldiers with US troops. “Let’s not be afraid of the contradiction raised. We are going to face it,” he said in reference to the oil agreements with the United States announced by Donald Trump himself after the arrest of the presidential couple.
Both Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge Rodríguez, president of Parliament, used a conciliatory tone towards the opposition. Both invoked and assumed, at least partially, the responsibility of working to consolidate a better climate in the country.
Rodríguez warned the opposition: “Do not confuse the substitute measures taken with some people prosecuted and our interest in lowering the pressure on the political climate with weakness. Make no mistake about this. It is time to banish fascist extremism. Let’s all rectify it.” Rodríguez also added: “It is not that the president in charge is afraid because she is threatened. No. All of Venezuela is threatened and, with sovereignty first, we will fight the diplomatic battle.”
The president in charge criticized the historical foundations of US diplomacy and commented that, historically, the North American nation has openly maneuvered and intrigued to expand its radius of influence in Latin America, undermine its independence and traffic with its natural resources. “and the Bolivarianism that we postulate and defend are completely opposite projects, they are antitheses,” he stated.
In a direct allusion to the recent conversations between Donald Trump and the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, Rodríguez commented: “If one day I have to go as interim president to Washington, I will do it with dignity, standing, walking with my head held high and with the tricolor flag. It will be standing, it will never be crawling.”
