“If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump told The Atlantic’s Michael Scherer in a Sunday phone interview.
Rodríguez, who assumed her role shortly after the Venezuelan president’s ouster, delivered a fiery defense of Maduro in a Saturday speech, just hours after he and his wife Cilia Flores were indicted on drug charges and transported to New York.
“There is only one president in Venezuela, and his name is Nicolas Maduro Moros,” Rodríguez said in a televised address to Venezuelans.
Trump’s Sunday remarks indicate a shift from his view of Venezuela’s new leader the day prior. During a Saturday news conference, the president said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with Rodríguez.
“She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” Trump told reporters Saturday, describing Rodriguez as “gracious” but adding she does not have “a choice” in the matter.
Rodriguez, 56, has served as vice president since 2018 and previously served as Venezuela’s foreign minister from 2014 to 2017.
Rubio, speaking to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “This Week,” characterized Rodriguez as an illegitimate leader.
“We don’t believe that this regime in place is legitimate via an election,” Rubio stated Sunday.
