Some 2000 Maduro supporters, including rifle-wielding men on motorcycles, rallied on Sunday in Caracas, with crowds shouting and waving Venezuelan flags. The Venezuelan military, loyal to Maduro, announced it recognised Rodriguez and urged calm. ‘Need access to oil’When asked what he needs from interim leader Rodriguez, Trump said: “We need total access. Anointed by his mentor Hugo Chavez before the latter’s 2013 death, Maduro kept a tight grip on power until his capture by US forces on Saturday. The US position leaves the Venezuelan opposition, which the Trump administration says was robbed of victory by Maduro, out in the cold.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 05, 2026 18:35 UTC