Jorge Rodriguez to Newsmax: US-Venezuela Ties Built on Mutual Respect

Jorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, told Newsmax his country has a respectful relationship with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"We have had a very intense relationship with the United States historically, and there have been ups and downs, especially in the last 25 years," Rodriguez said through an interpreter in an exclusive interview Saturday with "Rob Schmitt Tonight" from Caracas.

"But what we can say is that in the last 36 days, we have had a very good understanding and relationship working with the government of the United States.

"And we are hoping and we're aiming to have a win-win relationship for the people of Venezuela and the people of the United States."

He also said the opportunity for the U.S. to help revive Venezuela's tattered oil industry could benefit both countries.

Rodriguez's sister, Delcy Rodriguez, is acting president after U.S. forces captured dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and returned them to the U.S. to face federal drug charges.

Since the time of Maduro's capture on Jan. 3, the situation in Venezuela has been fast-moving and "intense," he said.

"Right now, we have a golden opportunity," Rodriguez said. "In the past 33 days, things have been moving forward very fast, has been very, very intense.

"But we have right now opportunities for mutual respect, for cooperation, to build a win-win situation for both countries, for both peoples.

"We have an oil industry that needs developing that will be further developed. And we are sure that we can stay on this path of mutual respect and cooperation, and we have ahead of us a very bright future.

"We have now an oil industry that will be guaranteed by Venezuela and for all the companies coming to Venezuela."

Rodriguez said every conversation Venezuela has had with Rubio "has been based on mutual respect."

"What we have agreed on, and this has been mentioned by Marco Rubio, privately as well as publicly, is the need of stability for Venezuela," he said. "And also, which is very important to us, is the reconciliation of Venezuela.

"For the last 20 years, there have been issues with political polarization amongst the population. So, what we want to do is to make sure that the opposition and the government see each other, to recognize each other."

Almost a week after Maduro's capture, Trump said U.S. energy companies agreed to spend $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela's oil infrastructure and that Caracas has agreed to let the U.S. "immediately" begin refining and selling up to 50 million barrels of crude oil.

"Under our ground right here in Venezuela, we have the biggest oil reserves in the world, but that oil underground is no good to anybody," Rodriguez said.

"We most likely have also the biggest gold reserves in the world, and we are among the biggest reserve of gas in the world, as well.

"We have ahead of us great joint work. And as President Donald Trump has mentioned recently, there's a lot to be done. And what we are looking to do is take that oil that's underground and turn it into hospitals, into schools, into things for the Venezuelan people."

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