The Venezuelan government on Thursday dismissed as 'fake' the information published by the British newspaper The Guardian, which claimed that interim President Delcy Rodriguez had guaranteed cooperation to Donald Trump's administration prior to the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. troops. The Guardian indicated it obtained this information from four distinct sources who specified that the interim president and her brother, the head of Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, did not actively participate in the U.S. military operation to capture Maduro on January 3. However, they stated that she had assured the U.S. government through intermediators that they would cooperate with them the next day. According to the newspaper's sources, representatives of the Qatari government were involved in the Rodriguez family's negotiations with the United States. The newspaper reported that these contacts had been ongoing since the fall and intensified after a phone call in November between Trump and Maduro that failed to result in his voluntary resignation from power. On the official X account of Miraflores — the seat of the Venezuelan government — an image of the British newspaper's headline was shared with a red sign saying 'fake', without further comment. Delcy, who served as Vice President under Maduro, was sworn in as interim president two days after the president's capture, following an order from the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ).
Venezuela Labels U.S. Cooperation Reports 'Fake News'
The Venezuelan government denied claims by The Guardian that interim President Delcy Rodriguez promised U.S. cooperation before a planned Maduro arrest. The paper's sources say talks between the parties had been ongoing since fall.
