Nigeria TV Info 

Trump Warns Venezuela’s Interim Leader of Severe Consequences Over US Cooperation

WASHINGTON / CARACAS — U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning Sunday to Delcy Rodríguez, the newly designated interim leader of Venezuela, saying she could face “a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro” if she fails to cooperate with Washington’s demands following the dramatic U.S. operation that ousted longtime Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In a telephone interview, Trump underscored that the United States expects Rodríguez to align with U.S. strategic objectives — including opening Venezuelan oil fields to American investment and helping curb drug trafficking — after U.S. forces struck military targets in Caracas and captured Maduro and his wife, flying them to New York to face federal narcotics and corruption charges.

Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and backed by sections of the military, has publicly rejected Maduro’s removal, insisting he remains the legitimate president and repudiating the U.S. intervention. She has pledged to defend Venezuelan sovereignty and natural resources.

Trump’s remarks mark a sharp escalation in U.S.–Venezuelan tensions. He suggested that failure to comply with U.S. expectations could bring harsher repercussions than those faced by Maduro, whose capture has already drawn widespread international controversy and condemnation from several Latin American governments and United Nations officials.

White House officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have reiterated that all options remain on the table and hinted that continued resistance by Venezuelan leaders could invite further pressure or intervention, even as they insist the U.S. does not seek to govern Venezuela’s day-to-day affairs.

The crisis has ignited protests across Venezuela and abroad, with critics decrying the legality and morality of the U.S. military operation and calling for immediate diplomatic engagement to prevent further destabilization.