Kathmandu – U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred international controversy by referring to Venezuela as the 51st state of the United States. In a provocative move just before his departure for a visit to China, Trump shared a graphic map on social media depicting Venezuela as the 51st American state.
Previously, Trump had hinted at this during a conversation with Fox News, indicating that he was “seriously considering” making Venezuela a new U.S. state. He cited the country’s massive oil reserves and claimed that he has the overwhelming support of the Venezuelan citizens.
Venezuela’s Interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, has issued a stern rejection of these claims. She clarified that her nation has no intention of ever becoming the 51st state of the U.S.
“We will continue to defend our integrity, our sovereignty, our independence, and our history,” Rodríguez stated during a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Rodríguez assumed the role of Interim President in January following the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro from power. Under her leadership, Venezuela has initiated policy changes aimed at reopening its oil and mining sectors to foreign companies.
In a related development, the U.S. Department of Energy claimed that 13.5 kilograms of uranium was removed from a research reactor in Venezuela.
According to the department, this operation was a coordinated effort between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly confirmed the incident as well.
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