Nicolás Maduro, leader of the Venezuelan regime, reacted this Thursday, October 16, to the versions spread by an American newspaper that indicate that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had offered the United States a transitional government in Venezuela without the presence of Maduro.
The Chavista leader spoke out during an event in which he was accompanied by Rodríguez and called the media, without mentioning any specific media,"imbeciles."
He then asserted that the entire Venezuelan high command is "more united than ever" in its goal of defending the homeland.
"They are idiots, Delcy. They are idiots. I have bad news for the schemers, the imperialists, and all their media outlets, portals, and agencies. Today, the high political and military command of the revolution is more united than ever in defending our homeland," Maduro asserted.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez also spoke at the event, stating that"the world's lying media spends its days attacking the Venezuelan people."
And she added that Maduro's attitude toward the United States motivates her in the fight."Let no decadent empire dare to think it can defeat our people (...) so go forward and continue winning," Rodríguez said.
(VIDEO) "They are idiots!" President Nicolás Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez responded to the @MiamiHerald, calling its claims that the vice president had presented a proposal to the US for a government without Maduro a hoax.
— Luigino Bracci Roa (@lubrio) October 16, 2025
The proposal that Delcy and Jorge Rodríguez would have made to the United States, according to the Miami Herald
According to information reported by the Miami Herald, Rodríguez and his brother Jorge, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, along with a group of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, presented two proposals approved by Maduro to the Administration of US President Donald Trump, with the mediation of Qatar.
The first offer, presented in April to U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell, contemplated Maduro's resignation in exchange for his continued presence in Venezuela, with security guarantees. In this case, Rodríguez would assume the presidency.
In the second proposal reported by the newspaper, and presented in September, Delcy Rodríguez and retired general Miguel Rodríguez Torres would lead a transitional government while Maduro would seek exile in Türkiye or Qatar.
The plans were presented through intermediaries in Qatar, where Delcy Rodríguez maintains a"significant relationship" with members of the royal family and holds some of its assets, according to the Miami newspaper.
These proposals"sought to persuade sectors of the United States government that a 'Madurismo without Maduro' could allow for a peaceful transition in Venezuela, preserving political stability without dismantling the governing apparatus," the outlet wrote.
According to the newspaper, the brothers allegedly argued that they are free of drug trafficking charges and claimed that the proposal had been accepted by Maduro.
Rodríguez was quick to react, writing in a Telegram message:"FAKE!! Another medium that joins the garbage dump of psychological warfare against the Venezuelan people. They have no ethics or morals, and they exclusively favor lies and carrion."
"The Bolivarian revolution has a united political and military high command that is united around the will of the people," the vice president added, later sharing a photo with Maduro with the caption:"Together and united with President Maduro."
The United States, meanwhile, has intensified its campaign against Venezuela. In addition to the massive military deployment in the Caribbean, President Donald Trump announced he has authorized CIA operations against Venezuela and said he is considering ground attacks against drug cartels in the Caribbean country.
