US formally recognizes Venezuelan government – Trump

Washington has rapidly warmed up to Caracas after kidnapping President Nicolas Maduro and forcing his administration to comply with US demands

The US has “formally recognized” the interim Venezuelan government, President Donald Trump has stated. He has also touted a new “deal” with Caracas on the nation’s gold.

Trump drastically changed his rhetoric on the Latin American nation after kidnapping its president, Nicolas Maduro, in early January. Maduro now faces US charges of narcoterrorism, cocaine trafficking, and firearms offenses, which he denies outright.

The US president himself openly stated that Washington was also seeking control of Venezuela’s vast oil wealth. The country holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves – roughly one-fifth of the global total.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who took over as Venezuela’s interim leader following Maduro’s abduction, initially declared that no “foreign agent” would control Venezuela. However, she has since moved to align with US demands, including opening Venezuela’s oil sector to American companies and cooperating on security.

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“I'm pleased to say that this week, we have formally recognized the Venezuelan government,” Trump said at the ‘Shield of the Americas’ Summit in Florida on Saturday. “We’ve actually legally recognized them.”

On Thursday, the US Department of State stated that Washington and Caracas had “agreed to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations.” It also added that US actions are still “focused” on what it called a “peaceful transition” to a new elected government.

Rodriguez had earlier maintained that Maduro remains the president of Venezuela. In mid-February, she called him the “legitimate leader” and insisted that both he and his wife Cilia Flores, who was abducted together with him, are innocent. She also told NBC at the time she had been invited to the US capital and is “contemplating coming there once we establish this cooperation.”

Trump had previously warned Rodriguez that if she “doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.” He then changed his rhetoric and called his relations with her “very good.” “I’m going to make a visit to Venezuela,” he stated last month.