Venezuela not afraid of diplomacy with US, says acting president

CARACAS -- Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday that the government is not afraid of engaging in diplomatic dealings with the United States, following an earlier US military attack on the South American country and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

"Let's not be afraid of diplomacy," Rodriguez said during the presentation of the annual state of the nation address.

While highlighting Washington's "historical record" of intervention in Latin America, she asserted that "we are not afraid to confront it diplomatically through political dialogue, as is appropriate."

The government is forging "a new policy," she said, calling on diplomatic corps accredited in Venezuela to convey the reality of the situation to their governments.

Rodriguez also called for unity at home in defending sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"I invite you, as Venezuelans, to preserve the peace of Venezuela, to preserve the tranquility of the homeland, and to do so with absolute dignity and historical responsibility," she said.

Rodriguez added that if she were to travel to the United States as acting president, "I will do so standing tall, walking, not crawling."