Venezuelan Oil Minister Vows Country Will Never Be a Colony Again Amid U.S. Naval Blockade Threat
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s Vice President and Minister of Oil, has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade on the country, declaring that Caracas will never again become a colony of any empire or foreign power.
Rodríguez stated that the recent comments by Trump have revealed Washington’s true intentions towards Venezuela—specifically, a desire to gain access to and seize the country’s oil, land, and mineral resources. She rejected Trump’s claim that Venezuela had stolen assets from the United States.
The Oil Minister denounced the U.S. action as a blatant violation of international law, free trade principles, and the freedom of navigation. She emphasized that Trump was attempting to plunder Venezuela’s national wealth through maritime pressure under the assumption that the country’s natural resources belonged to him.
Rodríguez characterized these policies as part of a broader campaign of disinformation and public manipulation, which she said is designed to justify the takeover of Venezuela’s natural resources. She added that Caracas has long been the target of Washington’s imperial ambitions.
The Venezuelan official affirmed that her government will pursue its right to defend national sovereignty over natural resources, free trade, and freedom of navigation in the Caribbean and beyond, based on international law, Venezuela’s constitution, and the United Nations Charter.
Her comments came after President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a full naval blockade of Venezuela, stating that all oil tankers transporting Venezuelan crude would be subject to seizure.
