ACTING Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has held talks with Donald Trump, both sides have confirmed.

Wednesday’s dialogue took place within what Ms Rodriguez described as a “framework of mutual respect” and covered a “bilateral work agenda for the benefit of our people, as well as pending issues” in the relationship between the two governments.

Ms Rodriguez, said the talks with the US president had beeb “long, productive and courteous,” although constitutionally elected President Nicolas Maduro remains in a New York detention centre following his kidnapping during a US military on Caracas on January 3.

Her confirmation came hours after Mr Trump informed the press about a “great conversation” with the Venezuelan leader, adding that she was “a terrific person” and that his administration had “worked very well” with her. He offered no further details of what had been discussed. 

The talks took place in the context of continuing high tension sparked by the huge US military build-up in the region, which culminated in the unprovoked military attack of January 3.

Carried out on the pretext of fighting narcoterrorism, Washington’s aggression killed at least 100 people and also included the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were illegally taken to the US. 

Ms Rodriguez was sworn in as acting president on January 5, although Mr Trump claims to be in charge of Venezuela. He has even published an image on social media in which he proclaims himself to be the country’s “interim president.”

In response, she said: “I’ve seen cartoons on Wikipedia about who’s in charge in Venezuela. 

“Well, here we have a government that’s in charge in Venezuela, here we have an acting president and here we have a president being held hostage in the US.”