Trump praises Venezuela’s ‘terrific’ interim president after call
After sidelining Venezuela’s opposition, the US president touts ‘tremendous progress’ on oil and security with Maduro’s former deputy
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had held a “long call” with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez, the first known contact between the two leaders since the ousting of Nicolas Maduro.
“We just had a great conversation today, and she’s a terrific person,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He later said on social media that he and Rodriguez had discussed “many topics”, including oil, minerals, trade and national security.
“We are making tremendous progress,” Trump said.
After Maduro’s capture in a deadly US special forces operation on January 3, Trump said he was content to let his former deputy Rodriguez take over – as long as she gave the United States access to Venezuelan oil.