A Dramatic Shift: Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez Delivers Subdued UNGA Address Following US Takeover

Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, US, on September 23, 2026. Delivering a surprisingly mild speech, Rodriguez thanked United States President Donald Trump for resuming diplomatic relations and cooperation with Venezuela. This tone contrasted sharply with her appearance at the same venue in September 2019, when, serving as vice president under Nicolas Maduro, she condemned the US for economic terrorism and militarisation of international relations.

Back in 2019, Rodriguez had denounced the US punishment of millions of innocent people and cited staggering economic losses from sanctions between 2015 and 2018. Seven years later, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. Following a US military operation on January 3 that involved air attacks on Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro was removed from power and imprisoned in New York, where he awaits a trial scheduled for June 2027.

While the US has lifted many coercive economic measures against Venezuela and secured control over massive oil reserves, critics point out that this amounts to a transition from sanctions to de facto colonialism. During the UNGA, President Donald Trump openly boasted about securing US majority control of Venezuela's oil reserves, declaring that to the victor belong the spoils. Meanwhile, interim President Delcy Rodriguez faces a vulnerable political reality, prompting questions about whether her cooperation with the administration is a strategic survival tactic.