00:00Venezuela is fighting back
00:27In a dramatic escalation, Caracas has launched a high-level political and legal offensive
00:33to free its detained leader after what it calls a U.S. kidnapping of its president.
00:39A special commission has now been created, signaling Venezuela's most direct challenge yet to Washington
00:46since the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
00:49The announcement was made by Acting President Delce Rodriguez during a Council of Ministers meeting.
00:55Information Minister Freddy Ñáñez confirmed the formation of what he called a high-level
01:01commission. Its sole mission, coordinate diplomatic, legal, and international pressure to bring Maduro
01:09home. The commission will be led by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, the brother
01:15of the acting president, and one of Venezuela's most powerful political figures. Officials say
01:21the body will engage allies, challenge U.S. charges, and mobilize global opinion against
01:26what Caracas calls an illegal detention.
01:29U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated pressure, warning Delce Rodriguez she could pay a very
01:36big price if she defies Washington.
01:38The next question is who's in charge of Venezuela right now. Have you spoken to the
01:43newly sworn in president there, Rodriguez, and what are your thoughts on the entire situation
01:48when you said the U.S. would run Venezuela?
01:50We're dealing with the people, we're dealing with the people that just got sworn in. And don't
01:56ask me who's in charge because I'll give you an answer and it'll be very controversial.
02:02What does that mean?
02:03That means we're in charge.
02:04Have you spoken with her?
02:05We're in charge.
02:06Have you spoken with her?
02:07No, no I haven't, but other people won't.
02:08Do you want to?
02:09Yeah, at the right time I will.
02:10Did the U.S. give Delce Rodriguez any guarantees in exchange for cooperating with your administration?
02:15No, no, but she's cooperating. Are you going to demand for your elections in the short
02:20term in Venezuela?
02:21Well, it depends on what you're talking. We have to do one thing in Venezuela, bring it back.
02:26It's a dead country right now. It's a country that, frankly, we would have been, if I had
02:32lost the election, we would have been a dead country. We would have been Venezuela on steroids.
02:38Venezuela right now is a dead country. We have to bring it back. We're going to have
02:41to have big investments by the oil companies to bring back the infrastructure.
02:46Yet, at her first cabinet meeting, Rodriguez struck a measured tone, offering cooperation
02:52while asserting Venezuela's sovereignty. She is set to be sworn in with
02:56backing from the military and Supreme Court. U.S. insists it is not at war. U.S. Secretary
03:03of State Marco Rubio said the strikes and capture do not amount to conflict, even as Trump claimed
03:10the U.S. would temporarily run Venezuela. Trump also promised U.S. oil firms would move in
03:17to rebuild infrastructure and profit. Despite U.S. claims, Maduro's allies remain firmly in power.
03:26Cuba says 32 of its combatants were killed during the operation and has declared days of mourning.
03:32Now, with a special commission formed, Venezuela signals it will fight on, legally, diplomatically,
03:39and politically, to free its captured leader.
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