Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded the United States free detained President Nicolás Maduro, calling him the country's rightful leader, during a national speech in Caracas between 7:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. UTC on January 3, 2026, according to a breaking Associated Press report. The Associated Press reported the demand in live updates on Trump-U.S.-Venezuela developments, posted during the 29-minute reporting window ending at 8:15 p.m. UTC. U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, commented on the Venezuela situation, according to a post by Jake Sherman on X during this period. These statements follow Vice President Rodríguez's earlier televised demand for Maduro's release while presiding over the Nation's Defense Council, as reported in the previous period ending at 7:45 p.m. UTC.
