Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez
Creative Commons
Since a Jan. 3 military operation in Venezuela resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the South American country has been run by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who served as vice president under Maduro's regime and is now cooperating with the United States amid concerns of facing the same fate as Maduro.
For María Corina Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, Rodríguez's cooperation with the United States is driven more by pressure than by choice. Speaking to reporters during her recent visit to Washington, Machado added that the interim president's main task is to dismantle what she described as a criminal power structure that has tormented Venezuela for more than two decades.
Related-
Venezuelans Express New Optimism but Demand Swift Elections After Maduro's Capture, Poll Shows
-
Venezuela's Interim Leader Defends Right to Diplomatic Ties With 'China, Russia, Iran and Cuba' Despite U.S. Pressure
As reported by the Miami Herald, Machado said at the White House that Rodríguez is "following orders" and remains in power because of her knowledge of Venezuela's repression system and financial networks, information that could be of high value to U.S. authorities.
"She is not acting comfortably or voluntarily," Machado said.
"Few people know as much about the criminal structure of tyranny as someone who helped design it. If the United States is obtaining the information it needs, that is the kind of cooperation we expect," she added.
As noted by the outlet, Machado's comments last week came just hours after The New York Times reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Rodríguez in the Venezuelan capital on Jan. 15, during which U.S. officials reinforced the view that Rodríguez represents the most viable short-term path to stability despite her role in the Maduro regime.
According to the report, CIA analysts assessed that allowing Rodríguez to remain in place temporarily was the best way to prevent Venezuela from "descending into some chaotic situation," a senior U.S. official told The New York Times.
Additionally, according to the same official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Ratcliffe met with Rodríguez at the direction of President Donald Trump "to deliver the message that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship." During the meeting, Ratcliffe and Rodríguez discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and the need to ensure the country was no longer a "safe haven for America's adversaries, especially narco-traffickers," The New York Times reported.
Despite this, Rodríguez said this week that her government would maintain diplomatic relations with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba despite mounting pressure from Washington to sever those ties as a condition for expanded oil production and sales.
Speaking during the annual presentation of the executive branch's report to the National Assembly, Rodríguez described the U.S. military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on Jan. 3 as an "invasive aggression" that had left "a stain on the relationship between both nations."
Rodríguez added that Venezuela had nonetheless chosen diplomacy as its response. "We have the right to have diplomatic relations with China, with Russia, with Iran, with Cuba, with all the peoples of the world. Also with the United States. We are a sovereign nation," Rodríguez said.
Related-
Trump Admin Accuses Maduro's Son of Having Drug Trafficking Ties With Colombian Militia
-
Venezuela Denies Reports of Secret Talks Between Top Regime Figure and U.S. Officials: 'False and Malicious'
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tags: Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela, Delcy rodriguez, Donald Trump, United States