President Donald Trump said Saturday that Venezuela’s leadership has shifted to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez following the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro, and that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado doesn't have the internal support to lead the country.
Speaking at a press conference carried by Newsmax, Trump said Rodríguez, a Maduro appointee, is now effectively running the country and claimed she recently held "a long conversation with Marco," adding that Rodríguez told U.S. officials, "we’ll do whatever you need."
Trump characterized her tone as "quite gracious," while adding she "doesn’t have a choice."
Asked about opposition leader Machado, Trump said the U.S. has not been in contact with her and questioned her viability as a national leader, saying it would be "very tough for her" because she lacks "the support" and "respect within the country," though he called her "a very nice woman."
The situation on the ground remained unclear, with Reuters reporting conflicting accounts about Rodríguez’s location and noting Venezuela’s government had not confirmed Trump’s assertion that she had been sworn in.
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