The Daily Journal.- Natalia Molano, the U.S. State Department’s Spanish-language spokesperson, told EFE in an interview that the meeting between President Donald Trump and Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, does not legitimize the Venezuelan government.
According to Molano, the meeting did not aim to confer legitimacy on Rodríguez, as the Venezuelan people have not elected her. The spokesperson made the remarks in response to questions about the meeting and Rodríguez’s presence in the United States less than a year after authorities arrested Nicolás Maduro in Caracas.
The meeting took place during a reception for foreign leaders following Trump’s address to the UN General Assembly. Rodríguez described the encounter as “historic.” Molano added that Washington’s strategy “remains in place” despite the meeting.
She referred to the stabilization, recovery, and democratic transition plan that the United States intends to implement in Venezuela. Molano said Washington seeks genuine democracy in the country because it has investments there, though she acknowledged officials have yet to set an election timetable.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. Embassy team in Caracas are working on the matter, she indicated.
During his UN address, Trump defended the operation to arrest Maduro and warned that he would use his “unmatched military power,” if necessary, to protect U.S. national interests against regional threats, particularly “narcoterrorism.”
Molano clarified that the warning did not target any specific country.
However, Trump did identify Mexico as the “epicenter” of drug trafficking and urged President Claudia Sheinbaum to “regain” control of Mexican territory, which he believes cartels have taken over.
The spokesperson said Mexico has taken several measures but still has more work to do.
In her view, Mexico and Brazil harbor “almost multinational” organizations that destabilize the region. She expressed hope that both countries, whose leaders belong to the political left, would intensify their fight against “narcoterrorism.”
Molano also encouraged them to join the Shield of the Americas, a security and military cooperation coalition that Trump launched this year. Its members include Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Paraguay, among others.
During the General Assembly, Trump convened a Shield of the Americas meeting with leaders who recently won elections on security platforms similar to his own, including Chilean President José Antonio Kast, Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori, and Colombia’s new vice president, José Manuel Restrepo, who attended on behalf of President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Molano stated that several countries have signed bilateral agreements that respect each nation’s sovereignty. Although concerns remain about military operations within participating countries, she clarified that the agreement does not contemplate such operations.
With information from EFE.
