President Trump praised Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, after their first telephone conversation since the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
Published January 15, 2026
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez has vowed to continue releasing prisoners held under President Nicolas Maduro’s regime and said her first phone call with President Donald Trump since the U.S. military’s abduction of President Maduro was positive.
Maduro’s former vice president, Rodríguez, said on Wednesday that he had a long, productive and courteous telephone conversation with the U.S. president during which they discussed bilateral issues that benefit both countries.
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In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the two sides discussed oil, minerals, trade and national security, and described how “great” this partnership between the United States and Venezuela would be.
“I think we’re going to get along very well with Venezuela,” Trump said at the White House after a lengthy phone call, describing Rodriguez as “a great guy” and adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also been in contact with the acting president.
Trump’s praise of Rodriguez comes in the wake of the Jan. 3 attack on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in which President Maduro and First Lady Syria Flores were abducted by U.S. forces. Mr. Maduro and Mr. Flores are currently being held in prison in the United States.
President Trump said last week that the second wave of U.S. attacks on Venezuela was halted amid “cooperation” with Caracas leadership, including the release of a number of prisoners as a sign of “pursuing peace” with the United States.
Earlier Wednesday, Rodriguez said in his first press conference since Maduro’s abduction that Venezuela was entering a “new political moment” and that the process of releasing the detainees was “not yet finished.”
“This occasion reflects a new moment for Venezuela and for the Venezuelan people to build and establish a new spirituality by coexisting, living together and recognizing others,” Rodriguez said in his speech.
Flanked by his brother, Congress President Jorge Rodriguez, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, the acting president also promised “strict” enforcement of the law and acknowledged that Maduro had already begun releasing prisoners.
“Messages of hatred, intolerance, and acts of violence will not be allowed,” Rodriguez said.
The renewed pledge to continue releasing prisoners followed President Jorge Rodriguez’s announcement in Congress on Tuesday that more than 400 detainees had recently been released.
Although Venezuelan authorities deny holding political prisoners, the release of those detained for political reasons in Venezuela has been a long-standing demand of rights groups, international organizations, and opposition groups.
Human rights groups have criticized the post-Maduro leadership in recent days for delays in releasing prisoners.
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Colina Machado at the White House on Thursday, their first face-to-face meeting since Maduro’s abduction.
Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, offered to give the award to Trump, but the Nobel committee said it was not transferable.
