Acting President Delcy Rodriguez Reaffirms President Maduro Legitimacy
In an interview with the U.S. channel NBC News, the Venezuelan Acting President defended the innocence of President Maduro. Photo: Ministry of People’s Power for Communication.
February 12, 2026 Hour: 7:35 pm
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Acting President Delcy Rodriguez affirmed President Nicolas Maduro’s legitimacy, stating Venezuela is ready for an energy partnership with the United States.
The Acting President, Delcy Rodriguez, firmly reiterated that Nicolas Maduro remains the legitimate President of Venezuela and reiterated his complete innocence during a recent interview with U.S. network NBC News in Caracas.
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“I can tell you President Nicolas Maduro is the legitimate President. I will tell you this as a lawyer, that I am. Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores, are both innocent”, she emphasized during her first interview with an U.S. journalist since taking office after President’s kidnapping, result of the imperialist attack against the country.
“I can tell you I am in charge of the Presidency of Venezuela, as it’s stated clearly in the Constitution of Venezuela”, she added.
In this sense, she underscored that her management meticulously adheres to the Venezuelan Constitution and described the daily challenges of leading the nation as “a very hard job” that is carried out “day by day”.
During the interview with the journalist Kristen Welker and with a significant diplomatic move, Rodriguez highlighted Venezuela’s readiness for an energy partnership with the United States.
“We are contemplating going there once we establish this cooperation and can move forward with everything”, signaling a potential path for renewed engagement. This offer, however, hinges on the immediate cessation of unilateral coercive measures, which impede Venezuela’s potential growth as a global energy power.
In this context, Venezuelan Acting President strongly condemned external interference in the country’s internal affairs, advocating for the respect at the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
A day prior to the interview, Rodriguez hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright at Miraflores Palace in Caracas. The high-level meeting focused on establishing a mutually beneficial energy agenda.
Discussions were framed by Venezuela’s commitment to its energy sovereignty and its strategic offensive to significantly boost crude production, cultivate new energy alliances, and broaden the diversification of its hydrocarbon exports.
During the NBC News interview, Rodriguez also addressed the figure of far-right politician Maria Corina Machado, who recently presented her “questioned Nobel Peace Prize medal” to former President Donald Trump, must “answer to Venezuela.” This accountability is sought due to Machado’s alleged appeals for military interventions and sanctions, alongside her perceived celebration of the U.S. aggression that occurred on January 3.
The U.S. aggression on January 3 involved a devastating bombing campaign by United States military forces targeting Caracas and several areas in the states of Aragua, Miranda, and La Guaira, in a grave violation of international law and Venezuela’s territorial integrity.
This brutal attack tragically resulted in over 100 fatalities, encompassing both civilians and military personnel, and left a significantly larger number of individuals wounded.
A profound consequence of this imperial aggression was the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores, illegally transported to the United States.
Author: Laura V. Mor
Source: NBC News
