Rodriguez urged for peace and solidarity, while refuting Donald Trump’s previous statements asserting she had assumed the presidency of Venezuela.

“We demand the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The sole leader of Venezuela is President Nicolas Maduro,” declared Rodriguez.

The Vice President emphasized that Venezuela’s government is ready to defend itself, noting that the country’s defense council has been mobilized.

She assured that an official response from the government would be forthcoming.

“To our beloved Venezuela and its citizens: We have a legitimate government in place,” she affirmed.

Rodriguez emphasised that Venezuela “will never again be anyone’s colony – neither of old empires, nor of new empires, nor of empires in decline”.

She warned other countries that what the US did to Venezuela “they can do to anyone”.

“This brutal use of force to bend the will of peoples can be done to any country,” she said.

Rodriguez has served as Maduro’s VP since 2018.

She has been previously described by Maduro as a “tiger” due to her loyalty and strong support of his socialist government.

Trump earlier claimed that Rodriguez had already been formally established as president and was “willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again”.

He also said the US would assume control of Venezuela for the time being.

Speaking from Mar-a-Lago Trump said “we’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”.