CARACAS/WASHINGTON - Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday that the government is not afraid of engaging in diplomatic dealings with the United States, following an earlier US military attack on the South American country and the forcible seizure of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
"Let's not be afraid of diplomacy," Rodriguez said during the presentation of the annual state of the nation address.
While highlighting Washington's "historical record" of intervention in Latin America, she asserted that "we are not afraid to confront it diplomatically through political dialogue, as is appropriate."
The government is forging "a new policy", she said, calling on diplomatic corps accredited in Venezuela to convey the reality of the situation to their governments.
Rodriguez also called for unity at home in defending sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"I invite you, as Venezuelans, to preserve the peace of Venezuela, to preserve the tranquility of the homeland, and to do so with absolute dignity and historical responsibility," she said.
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Rodriguez added that if she were to travel to the United States as acting president, "I will do so standing tall, walking, not crawling."
She also called on the legislature to approve an oil industry reform plan to attract foreign investment and promote the country's economic recovery.
The relevant reforms would help improve the operating environment of the oil industry and enhance its capacity for external cooperation, Rodriguez said.
According to the acting president, the South American nation's oil production reached 1.2 million barrels in December last year. The revenue from oil exports will mainly be used to support the construction of the public health system, promote economic development and advance infrastructure projects.
Venezuela is currently at an important turning point, and the government will explore more pragmatic and diversified ways of foreign exchange, said Rodriguez.
US forces seize sixth Venezuela-linked oil tanker
On Thursday morning, US forces seized another Venezuela-linked oil tanker, following a fifth seizure last week, the US Southern Command said on X.
"In another pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and apprehended Motor/Tanker Veronica without incident," said the command.
"The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully," the command said, adding that the administration of US Presidetn Donald will continue the crackdown on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.
The crackdown has a significant impact on Venezuela's oil exports, with its crude loadings falling to about half of normal levels this month, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing shipping analytics provider Kpler.
