Venezuela Pres­i­dent Nicolás Maduro has long been a thorn in Wash­ing­ton’s side. Ac­cu­sa­tions of nar­co-ter­ror­ism, rigged elec­tions, and hu­man rights abus­es have shaped the US nar­ra­tive.

Rur­al De­vel­op­ment and Lo­cal Gov­ern­ment Min­is­ter says she has been over­whelmed by the pub­lic’s out­pour­ing of con­cern and sup­port fol­low­ing al­leged death threats against her.