Donald Trump ignited a fresh political storm after posting on Truth Social a map depicting Venezuela in the colors of the US flag alongside the caption: “51st state.”
The post came just one day after Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, declared that her country “would never consider” becoming part of US territory.
The Republican president has repeatedly boasted that he now holds complete control over the Latin American nation following the US military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
Trump, who has often said he would like Canada to become “America’s 51st state,” now appears to have turned his attention toward Venezuela.
Back in March, during comments surrounding a baseball game, he had already hinted at the possibility.
“Great things are happening in Venezuela lately (…) 51st state, anyone?” he wrote at the time on Truth Social.
Acting President Rodríguez rejected the idea again on Monday, insisting that “we would never consider it” because “we love our independence, our heroes and our heroines.”
At the same time, however, she reiterated that her government is pursuing a “diplomatic cooperation agenda” with the United States following the restoration of bilateral relations between Caracas and Washington in March — seven years after Nicolás Maduro severed ties between the two countries.
