• Tuesday, 6 January 2026

Trump issues warning to new Venezuelan leader Rodríguez ahead of her swearing in

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BBC News, Jan 5: Donald Trump warns Venezuela's new leader Delcy Rodríguez she could "pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro" if she "doesn't do what's right".

Speaking to The Atlantic, the US president adds that for Venezuela, "regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now".

At her first cabinet meeting, Rodríguez - who is due to be sworn in today - issues a direct appeal to Trump: "Our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war."

Meanwhile, Maduro is expected to appear in a New York court after being captured during US air strikes on the country on Saturday - here's a recap of what happened.

The deposed leader faces drug trafficking-related charges, which he denies.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said over the weekend the US is at war "against drug trafficking organisations", not Venezuela itself.


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