President Donald Trump told The Atlantic that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez will pay “a high price, even greater than Maduro” if she does not do the right thing, stating he did not like her defiant tone, according to an X post by @crismartinj between 6:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. UTC on January 4, 2026. El Diario reported lines of people outside Luz Supermarket in Chacao and an influx at businesses along Francisco de Miranda Avenue near Los Palos Grandes in Caracas during a tour on January 4, as shared in X posts by @OrlvndoA and @eldiario in the same 29-minute window. This comes after Rodríguez assumed leadership following the U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier January 4, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López declaring national operational readiness, per prior Conatel statements and reports. El Diario noted on X that former President Maduro promoted loyal officers to senior ranks on December 28, 2026, during a ceremony for border security planning ahead of potential U.S. confrontation.
