Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López declares sovereignty non‑negotiable as US ties improve

Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López told a televised ceremony on 19 June that “what is not negotiable, what is inflexible, what does not change are our roots of independence, our Bolivarian military thought and our ideas of sovereignty and protection of the homeland and the people.” The remarks came as the government of interim president Delcy Rodríguez deepens dialogue with the United States after a U.S. operation on 3 January captured Nicolás Maduro.

Since the capture, high‑level U.S. officials including energy and interior secretaries have visited Caracas, and the two governments have signed agreements on hydrocarbons, intelligence sharing and joint actions against criminal groups such as the Tren de Aragua. President Donald Trump publicly praised the rapprochement, stating that oil companies are building platforms in Venezuela and that the country has become “a happy country.” The developments signal a shift from the traditionally antagonistic stance of the Venezuelan military toward a more cooperative approach with Washington.