Overview
- President Trump said he had a “great” phone call with acting president Delcy Rodríguez, citing discussions on oil, minerals, trade and national security.
- Rodríguez said 406 detainees have been freed, most of them political prisoners, continuing releases she said began under Maduro in December.
- Nicolás Maduro, detained in the United States, conveyed a message backing Rodríguez through his son, according to Venezuela’s state news agency AVN.
- Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president with military support after U.S. special forces seized Maduro and Cilia Flores in Caracas on January 3 on drug-related charges.
- The new leadership is courting Western partners, recently receiving European diplomats including Germany’s ambassador in Caracas.