Venezuela VP Accuses US of 'Oil Grab' After Maduro Seized in Shock Regime Change Strike

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has accused the United States of carrying out a regime change operation aimed at seizing the country's vast oil and natural resources following a dramatic American military operation.

Speaking in a televised address on Saturday, Rodríguez condemned what she described as Washington's true agenda behind the operation that resulted in the detention and transfer of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to New York under U.S. military custody.

She said the events had exposed what she called the real motives of the United States, accusing it of pursuing regime change in Venezuela solely to take control of the country's energy, mineral, and natural resources, according to NBC News.

Rodríguez repeatedly insisted that Maduro remains Venezuela's only legitimate president, directly contradicting President Donald Trump's claim that she had been sworn in and was prepared to cooperate with U.S. authorities.

Venezuela Vows To Defend Its Resources

Rodríguez said Venezuela is committed to defending its natural resources against what she characterised as U.S. intervention. Appearing alongside senior government and military officials, she delivered an emergency broadcast emphasising the country's readiness to protect both national sovereignty and its strategic assets.

She labeled the U.S. operation an act of military aggression without precedent and demanded the immediate release of Maduro and Flores, describing their capture as an illegal abduction.

Rodríguez urged Venezuelans to remain calm and united while calling on citizens to defend national sovereignty against what she described as an imperialist power, according to TRT World News.

Trump's Ambitions for Venezuelan Oil

Rodríguez's remarks came as President Trump openly discussed Venezuela's oil reserves as a central element of the operation.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump said the United States planned to establish a major presence in Venezuela linked to its oil sector and claimed the country would generate vast wealth from the ground.

Trump said American oil companies would be brought in to repair Venezuela's deteriorated infrastructure and that Washington would temporarily run the country until what he described as a 'safe, proper, and judicious transition' could take place.

Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, although production has collapsed from about 3.2 million barrels per day in 2000 to roughly 960,000 barrels per day today under Maduro's rule.

Conflicting Claims Over Rodríguez's Role

A sharp contradiction emerged between Trump's assertions and Rodríguez's public statements following Maduro's capture. Trump claimed Rodríguez had been sworn in earlier and had held a cordial conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He told reporters she was willing to do whatever was necessary to restore Venezuela's greatness, according to NDTV.

Rodríguez, however, painted a markedly different picture in her televised address. She demanded proof of life for Maduro and his wife and declared that Venezuela would be neither a slave nor a colony.

The 56-year-old vice president also serves as Venezuela's finance and oil minister and has played a central role in the country's political and economic management for more than a decade. Maduro has previously described her as a 'tiger' for her staunch defence of his socialist government.

International Reaction And Emergency Measures

Rodríguez announced that Venezuela's National Defence Council and Citizen Security Agency had been activated in response to the U.S. strikes on Caracas and other sites.

She said a decree signed by Maduro declaring a state of external unrest had been submitted to the Supreme Court for constitutional approval and was expected to receive judicial authorisation within hours.

She cited growing international condemnation of the U.S. operation, pointing to opposition from countries including China, Russia, and several Latin American nations.

Rodríguez also invoked Venezuela's independence legacy, referencing Simón Bolívar's Jamaica Letter and warning that foreign enemies sought to plunge the country back into darkness and subjugation.

The Venezuelan government accused the United States of flagrantly violating Articles 1 and 2 of the United Nations Charter, which prohibit the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Colombia requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, while Cuba's foreign ministry described the operation as a criminal act and a dangerous escalation, according to Al Jazeera.

With Venezuela now under a state of emergency and armed forces deployed nationwide, the episode is already being viewed as one of the most controversial foreign policy moves of Trump's second term in the White House.