Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez arriving at the headquarters of the International Court of Justice, accompanied by Venezuelan Ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Moncada, in The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday, April 8, 2024. Photo: Venezuelan Vice-presidency Office/file hoto.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) has approved a report endorsing Acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s request to appoint Samuel Moncada as the country’s new ambassador to France. This approval was reported by Deputy Roy Daza during an interview with Globovisión on Thursday.
“There had been practically no relations with the French Republic for many years, by decision of France… Now, the situation has changed. They have given their approval to Ambassador Samuel Moncada. We made a decision in the Foreign Policy Committee and opened another avenue to try to break the diplomatic blockade that had been placed around Venezuela,” Daza explained.
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A key figure in Venezuelan diplomacy
Moncada previously served as the Venezuelan ambassador to the United Kingdom and, until recently, to the United Nations in New York. He is widely regarded as one of the country’s most capable diplomats, recognized for his unwavering loyalty to the Bolivarian Revolution across both the Chávez and Maduro administrations.
In late March, Acting President Rodríguez appointed Coromoto Godoy as ambassador to the United Nations. While some mainstream media outlets attempted to frame this transition as an effort by Rodríguez to replace President Nicolás Maduro’s appointees, analysts noted that Moncada remains a core figure of Chavismo and was on the shortlist for an eventual appointment in a new diplomatic post.
Moncada’s diplomatic track record includes a forceful condemnation of the illegal military bombing of Venezuela by the US empire during an emergency session of the UN Security Council in January 2026. The session followed the unprecedented January 3 US attack on Venezuela, which killed over 100 people, including 32 Cuban and 47 Venezuelan soldiers, and resulted in the kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
More recently, on May 6, Moncada delivered a rigorous defense of Venezuela’s historical rights over the Essequibo territory during the second session of special hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. During his address, he dismantled Guyana’s narrative of “Venezuelan imperialism,” exposed the corporate interests driving Guyana’s unilateral territorial resolution strategy initiated in 2018, and highlighted the fundamental weakness of Guyana’s claims regarding the validity of the 1899 Paris Arbitration Award.
Delcy Rodríguez’s approval ratings remain steady
Several Chavista analysts have condemned attempts by the White House and mainstream corporate media to smear Delcy Rodríguez’s government. Meanwhile, a Hinterlaces poll released on Thursday reported that the Rodríguez administration maintains a consistent approval rating above 64%.
However, in late March, a similar poll showed a 73% approval rating. According to analysts, this gap might hint at public reaction to controversial decisions taken by her administration in recent weeks, coupled with the fact that many Venezuelans have not yet perceived improvements in the country’s economic conditions.
In its most recent survey, Hinterlaces evaluated variables related to leadership, conflict resolution, financial policies, and strategies applied to public transparency.
According to the results, 70% of those surveyed believe the acting president has comprehensive knowledge of the problems facing Venezuela. Furthermore, when asked if the acting president is taking effective measures to improve the economy, 67% responded affirmatively.
At The Hague, Venezuela’s Ambassador Dismantles Guyana’s Narrative, Reaffirms Venezuelan Sovereignty
Additionally, 67% of those interviewed agreed that Rodríguez has adopted a tough approach to combating corruption, while 66% opined that the acting president possesses the capabilities to solve Venezuela’s problems. Finally, 65% of respondents affirmed that her administration demonstrates strong managerial skills, and 64% agreed that she is successfully making the changes the country needs.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
