Tinotenda Hove – US President Donald Trump has issued a sharp threat against Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez, vowing severe consequences if she fails to comply with Washington’s demands.

“She will pay a bigger price than Maduro if she doesn’t do what’s right,” Trump warned, escalating his rhetoric against the Caracas leadership.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions following a dramatic US military operation in Venezuela. In the early hours of January 3, US forces launched strikes inside Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, transporting them out of the country to face charges in the United States, a development confirmed by Trump and US officials.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Maduro is expected to stand trial in a US federal court, and the operation was carried out by elite US forces as part of Operation Absolute Resolve. The United States has indicated it may oversee Venezuela temporarily during a transition while pursuing criminal charges against Maduro and his wife.

In response to the capture, Venezuelan Vice President Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president and has sought proof of life for Maduro and his wife, denouncing the US action as a violation of sovereignty.

The Venezuelan military had earlier demanded Washington release Maduro immediately, further intensifying the diplomatic and military standoff.