Trump praises interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez after his first phone call since the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro by the US military.
Published on January 15, 2026
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, pledged to continue to release prisoners detained under the presidency of Nicolas Maduro and described his first phone call with US President Donald Trump since Kidnapping of Maduro by US forces as positive.
Rodriguez, Maduro’s former vice president, said Wednesday that she had a long, productive and courteous phone call with the U.S. president, during which the two men discussed a bilateral program that would benefit both countries.
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Trump, in a message on his Truth Social platform, said the two discussed oil, minerals, trade and national security, describing how “spectacular” “this partnership” between the United States and Venezuela would be.
“I think we get along very well with Venezuela,” Trump said at the White House after a lengthy call, describing Rodriguez as a “great person,” adding that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also been in contact with the acting president.
Trump’s praise for Rodriguez follows after President Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Floreswere kidnapped by the US military during an attack on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on January 3. Maduro and Flores are now being held in prison in the United States.
Trump said last week that a second wave of American attacks on Venezuela had been canceled thanks to the “cooperation” of the leaders in Caracas, including the release of a large number of prisoners as a sign of “seeking peace” with Washington.
Earlier Wednesday, in his first news conference since Maduro’s kidnapping, Rodriguez said Venezuela was entering a “new political moment” and that Venezuela was entering a “new political moment.” detainee release process “is not yet concluded”.
“This opportunity is for Venezuela and for the Venezuelan people to be able to see reflected a new moment where coexistence, where living together, where recognition of the other allows us to build and erect a new spirituality,” Rodriguez said in his speech.
Flanked by her brother and President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, the interim president also pledged to “strictly” apply the law and credited Maduro with having already initiated the release of prisoners.
“Messages of hatred, intolerance and acts of violence will not be allowed,” Rodriguez said.
The renewed pledge to continue releasing prisoners followed after Jorge Rodriguez announced in Parliament on Tuesday that more than 400 detainees had been released recently.
While Venezuelan authorities deny holding political prisoners, the release of those detained for political reasons in Venezuela has been a long-standing call from rights groups, international bodies and opposition figures.
In recent days, rights groups have criticized the slow release of prisoners by post-Maduro leaders.
Trump is expected to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, their first in-person meeting since Maduro’s kidnapping.
Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, offered to give his prize to Trump, “but the Nobel Committee said the peace prize could not be transferred.”