Jan 15, 2026, 10:47 p.mJan 15, 2026, 10:47 p.m
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez has submitted a legislative initiative to parliament to strengthen the oil industry. The reform will enable additional foreign investment in the energy sector, she said in her address to the nation at the People’s Assembly. The day before, Rodríguez had already announced that he would put “every dollar” from the oil and gas business into the ailing health sector.
Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as executive president of Venezuela.Image: IMAGO/Xinhua
Although US President Donald Trump has already advocated investments worth billions, he also claims ownership of the South American country’s oil. He justifies this with the expropriation of US energy companies during the nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry in the 1970s. The US President imposed a blockade on oil tankers from Venezuela and has already had a number of ships seized.
Rodríguez has been in office since Maduro was captured by the United States
Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president after US special forces captured authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas on January 3 and brought him to New York. He is to be tried there for drug offenses.
“The relations between the United States and Venezuela are flawed,” said Rodríguez, referring to the US attack in Caracas. “We will erase this flaw through diplomatic channels. Let’s not be afraid of diplomacy.” Just on Wednesday, Trump described acting President Rodríguez as a great person after a long phone conversation. (hkl/sda/dpa)