Twice this week, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in making Venezuela the 51st U.S. state, a remark that his administration has revisited after the Jan. 3 capture of Nicolás Maduro. The latest came through a Truth Social post Tuesday that included a map showing Venezuela covered by the U.S. flag, according to the Associated Press report.
In contrast to earlier episodes in which Venezuela’s senior leadership reacted sharply to doubts about the country’s sovereignty, the government response this time was mostly quiet. The ruling party largely held its fire except for a reserved statement to reporters on Monday from Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, the AP said.
Rodríguez told journalists that Venezuela had no plans to become a U.S. state, framing the issue around sovereignty and independence. “We will continue to defend our integrity, our sovereignty, our independence, our history,” Rodríguez said, adding that Venezuela is “not a colony, but a free country.”
The shift toward restraint reflects the balance Rodríguez must strike as external pressure intersects with internal politics, after the Trump administration’s January military attack in Caracas, the AP said. The report described how the Trump administration moved to implement a phased plan for Venezuela’s stabilization after Maduro’s ouster, forcing Rodríguez’s political movement, Chavismo, to abandon the anti-U.S. stance that had long been part of its teachings.
Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow for Latin America at Chatham House, said the government’s posture amounted to an unusually visible demonstration of a “transactional, self-survival approach” in the current moment. He argued that it was “better that they hold their tongue, not offend the U.S. right now,” describing Trump’s claim as “a ridiculous claim” that Venezuela should not reward with overreaction.
The AP said Rodríguez’s comments were more reserved than past presidential addresses that derided U.S. remarks, and she spoke after Trump said he was “seriously considering” making Venezuela the 51st U.S. state—a claim Trump has also made about Canada. In Caracas, some residents viewed the government’s relative silence as submission to Trump, while others said Rodríguez still lacked room to unleash Chavismo’s usual anti-U.S. messaging.
College student Adonai Osoria said Rodríguez’s approach was “wise not to engage in direct confrontation” because she “knows she’s bound to lose.” Osoria said the reaction was “common, understandable,” while acknowledging “some who disagree” with the stance.
Government supporters’ earlier inflammatory messaging toward the U.S. had included burning U.S. flags and carrying “Gringo go home” signs in the days after Maduro was captured. This time, the AP said, much of the restraint appeared to be tied to how the political calculus changed after the Trump administration chose to work with Rodríguez rather than Venezuela’s opposition.
The AP described that after Maduro’s ouster, Trump’s team turned to Rodríguez, who has led cooperation with the administration’s phased plan. Rodríguez has pitched Venezuela to international investors, opened the energy sector to private capital and international arbitration, and replaced senior officials, including Maduro’s faithful defense minister and attorney general. Trump has praised her work, the AP said, and the administration lifted economic sanctions against Rodríguez personally while easing sanctions against Venezuela, though some sanctions still remain.
The report also said the U.S. now recognizes Rodríguez as the “sole” head of state of Venezuela. It noted that the U.S. stopped recognizing Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader in 2019 after a re-election claim that the AP said was widely considered a sham, when opposition parties and candidates were barred from participating.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges after their Jan. 3 capture. The AP said both have pleaded not guilty and remain jailed at a Brooklyn detention center. Meanwhile, the AP said that within Venezuela, armed groups known as colectivos—staples of pro-ruling party demonstrations—had shown stronger criticism of Trump’s remarks earlier this week, with local leader Jorge Navas characterizing the talk as “irresponsible acts of provocation” and praising Rodríguez for her diplomatic response.
“We are bending, strategically, but we will not break,” Navas said, describing the current posture toward U.S. pressure as “realistically” connected to Venezuela’s economic situation.