Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez issued a forceful public rejection of the Trump administration’s stated plans for Venezuela, declaring that the country will not submit to foreign domination following the US abduction of President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking in a nationally televised address Saturday after assuming the role of interim president, Rodríguez framed the confrontation as a fight over sovereignty and self-determination.
“We will never again be a colony of any empire,” Rodríguez said. “We are determined to be free.” She demanded that Washington release Maduro, stating that “he is still Venezuela’s president,” and condemned the US operation in stark terms. “What is being done to Venezuela is barbaric,” she said.
Maduro is currently detained in Brooklyn and is facing new US charges. His detention followed what the Trump administration described as a military operation against Venezuela, an assault that reportedly killed at least 40 people, including civilians. Since then, President Donald Trump has publicly claimed authority to shape Venezuela’s political future, saying he is “designating various people” to run the country’s government and suggesting that American troops could be deployed.
Trump has also threatened further escalation. He warned of a “second wave” of attacks if Venezuelan officials do not comply with US demands and issued a direct warning to the country’s leadership, saying “what happened to Maduro can happen to them.” The administration has not sought congressional authorization for attacks on vessels in the Caribbean or for direct military action against Venezuela.
Rodríguez’s remarks directly contradicted Trump’s claim that she had privately pledged compliance with US efforts to control Venezuela’s political system and oil infrastructure. She delivered her address alongside senior Venezuelan officials, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, and leaders of the country’s legislative and judicial branches, an appearance intended to project unity in the face of US pressure.
That unity has found vocal support among critics in Washington. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut condemned the Trump administration’s actions, saying it was “starting an illegal war with Venezuela that Americans didn’t ask for and has nothing to do with our security.”
As Venezuelan officials rejected US demands at home, opposition to the intervention quickly spilled beyond the country’s borders. Protests erupted over the weekend at US diplomatic outposts in Brussels, Madrid, Ankara, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and other major cities, as demonstrators denounced the US assault and the administration’s pledge to “run” Venezuela’s government for an unspecified period of time.
In Mexico City, the US Mission to Mexico issued a security alert as demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in the Polanco neighborhood. “A protest denouncing US actions against Venezuela continues to take place in front of the US Embassy in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City,” the alert stated. It added that “Protestors have thrown rocks and painted vandalism on exterior walls.” According to the mission, “Social media posts about the protest have included anti-American sentiment,” and “Embassy personnel have been advised to avoid the area.”
Similar demonstrations unfolded across Europe and the Middle East. Protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in Brussels, while demonstrators in Ankara and Madrid carried signs condemning the attack on Venezuela and chanted anti-war slogans. Images from the protests showed placards rejecting US intervention and warning of the dangers of imperial overreach.
The global demonstrations coincided with criticism of international leaders who declined to directly condemn Washington’s actions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she supports “a peaceful and democratic transition” in Venezuela but did not mention the abduction of Maduro or the US bombings that reportedly killed dozens of people. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis similarly declined to address legal questions, stating that “this is not the time to comment on the legality of the recent actions,” even as protests took place in Athens.
Those responses drew sharp criticism from international activists. Progressive International co-general coordinator David Adler pointed to Mitsotakis’ statement as evidence of Europe’s selective application of international law. “If you still believe that the European Union cares about international law, then look no further,” Adler wrote. He added, “We are outraged, but this moment demands more than outrage. It demands organized, coordinated resistance.”
Despite the backlash, the Trump administration has signaled that it intends to press ahead. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the United States plans to maintain a military “quarantine” around Venezuela, including a large naval force positioned in the Caribbean.
“That’s a tremendous amount of leverage that will continue to be in place until we see changes, not just to further the national interest of the United States, which is number one, but also that lead to a better future for the people of Venezuela,” Rubio said in a television interview. He suggested that US troops could be deployed to Venezuela and declined to clarify the legal authority for the intervention.
The lack of congressional authorization has become a focal point of criticism on Capitol Hill. Representative Greg Casar of Texas, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, warned that past efforts to control other nations offer little justification for the current approach. “In recent history, we’ve tried ‘running’ multiple countries in Latin America and the Middle East. It’s been a disaster for us, and for them, every single time,” Casar said.
Casar called for immediate legislative action to rein in the administration. “Congress must pass a War Powers Resolution to get our military back to defending the US, instead of ‘running’ Venezuela,” he said.
Progressive Democrats of America echoed that call, characterizing the administration’s actions as “militarized authoritarianism.” In a statement, the group warned of the broader consequences of escalation. “We must act to stop it now, before it spreads to enflame the entire region, if not the entire globe, in a dangerous, unnecessary conflict,” the statement said. “We are outraged, but this moment demands more than outrage. It demands organized, coordinated resistance.”
As the Trump administration continues to threaten further military action and assert control over Venezuela’s political future, core questions remain unresolved. The White House has not explained how it intends to legally justify the detention of a foreign head of state, the reported civilian deaths, or the long-term scope of a military “quarantine” designed to coerce a sovereign nation.
For Venezuelan leaders, the position has been explicit. Rodríguez’s declaration that the country will “never again be a colony of any empire” stands as a direct challenge to Washington’s claims. Whether that stance, combined with mounting global protests and pressure from US lawmakers, will alter the administration’s course remains unclear. What is evident is that the intervention has triggered widespread opposition and renewed scrutiny of US power abroad, with political and legal consequences that continue to unfold.
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