Donald Trump Posts Graphic of Venezuela as 51st US State; Caracas Rejects Remark Amid Tensions

Donald Trump Posts Graphic of Venezuela as 51st US State; Caracas Rejects Remark Amid Tensions

THE HAGUE/CARACAS, May 13, 2026 [VoM News]: Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez has firmly rejected remarks by Donald Trump suggesting Venezuela could become the “51st state” of the United States.

The controversy erupted after Trump posted a graphic on Truth Social depicting Venezuela alongside an American flag labelled “51st State.” In comments reported by US media, Trump said he was “very serious” about beginning a process to make Venezuela part of the United States, citing the country’s vast oil reserves and claiming Venezuelans supported the idea.

Responding during a visit to The Hague, Rodríguez dismissed the proposal outright, stating that Venezuela’s independence was “non-negotiable.”

“Venezuela is not a colony, but a free country,” she told reporters while attending proceedings related to the long-running territorial dispute with Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region.

The remarks come months after dramatic geopolitical developments in Venezuela. Earlier this year, US forces carried out an operation in Caracas that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Following the operation, Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president, with Washington formally recognising her administration and restoring diplomatic relations with Caracas for the first time since 2019.

The Trump administration has since deepened economic engagement with Venezuela, particularly in the energy sector. Officials in Washington have encouraged US companies to expand investment in Venezuelan oil production as exports reportedly crossed one million barrels per day in April — their highest level in years.

Trump has repeatedly linked Venezuela’s strategic value to its massive petroleum reserves, estimated at more than 300 billion barrels, considered the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Despite the political rhetoric, constitutional experts note that any move to admit a new US state would require approval from Congress under Article IV of the US Constitution. In the case of a sovereign nation, international law and consent from the country’s government and population would also be essential.

The Venezuela comments are part of a broader pattern of territorial rhetoric by Trump since returning to office, including references to Greenland, Canada, the Panama Canal and Cuba.