— We pledge absolute loyalty and subordination to the acting president, Delca Rodriguez, said Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, who presented Rodriguez with a mace symbolizing his command over the army, during a ceremony in Caracas. A similar oath was taken on behalf of the police and security services by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
When did Delcy Rodriguez become president of Venezuela?
What oaths did military and police officers take?
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Trump: Rodriguez willing to cooperate
Rodriguez, who had previously called for dialogue with the opposition, said those who support “destruction and aggression against the Venezuelan people” should “stay in Washington.” This was an allusion to the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was visiting the US capital and supported the US intervention on January 3.
American special forces then captured the current leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas. After he was deported from the country, Rodriguez took over the duties of president. Previously, she held the position of vice president, a position to which Maduro himself appointed her.
US President Donald Trump suggested that Rodriguez was willing to cooperate with Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that his country may again use force against Venezuela to force cooperation from the local authorities, but – as he assessed – this is not necessary at the moment.
Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources, that US intelligence services were not convinced that Rodriguez would comply with Trump's demands to formally break off relations with US rivals such as Iran, China and Russia.
Rodriguez herself said on Sunday during a televised meeting with a group of oil sector workers that she was “fed up with Washington's orders to politicians in Venezuela.”
