Signs of a Warming Trump-Rodríguez Relationship in Venezuela

Lee este artículo en español More than two weeks after the stunning US raid on Caracas that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the political confrontation over the future of Venezuela is rapidly coalescing around two leaders, both women, who represent different visions for their country: the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who stands for continuity, and opposition leader María Corina Machado, who seeks the restoration of democracy. For both leaders, support from US President Donald Trump, or at least an understanding with him, is paramount. Trump can lift the economic sanctions that are saddling the Venezuelan economy or could even extract other top officials who face US charges, just like he did with Maduro on January 3. Machado grabbed the headlines last week with her visit to the White House, where she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump. However, she was received without much fanfare and left with a gift bag and a photo session — but no concrete support. Machado is a skilled politician and a tireless campaigner — the last person who made the mistake of underestimating her now sits in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Yet, recent events in Washington and Caracas suggest it is Rodríguez who has the advantage in this new clash. Here are four signs that Rodríguez is gaining momentum, at least for now. 1. A warmer personal relationship with Donald Trump Any world leader can attest to how important a personal and effusive relationship is for the US president — just ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Delcy Rodríguez lacked one, until last week. On Wednesday, Trump surprised many Venezuelan insiders by saying he had spoken by phone with the acting Venezuelan leader and praising her as a “terrific person.” Until last week, it had seemed that Machado, who has spoken with US officials for years and has a strong personal relationship with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was going to be the US partner of choice, at least on a personal level. But Rodríguez can now boast a direct connection to Trump, too. 2. Tighter oil coordination On January 9, Trump invited several oil executives to pitch proposals for investments in the derelict Venezuelan oil industry. Many attended the White House meeting, but few chipped in, with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods summing it up for the gathering when he said that “legal and commercial … frameworks in place today” make Venezuela “uninvestable.” On Thursday, Rodríguez got to work, announcing a change to the Law of Hydrocarbons that regulates oil extraction in Venezuela. While Maduro had mulled a similar revision for years, Rodríguez broke the deadlock in less than a week, signaling her readiness to heed the calls from Washington. 3. Intelligence relationship On the same day she announced the legal reforms, Rodríguez also welcomed CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Caracas. Photos leaked the following day showed a relaxed and friendly atmosphere — the normally ultra-elegant Rodríguez even donned a casual pair of Asics sneakers to host the impeccably dressed intelligence chief. Ratcliffe also met the new head of the Presidential Guard, Enrique Gonzalez, less than two weeks after US Special Operations forces killed dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban presidential guardsmen on their way to Maduro’s bedroom, according to Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. Ratcliffe did not comment on those deaths. It was the first visit to Caracas by a US Cabinet member in more than a decade and signaled a much closer relationship between the US spy chief and his Venezuelan counterparts. 4. Deportations resume On Friday, Venezuela received its first US deportation flight since December 10, an Eastern Airlines Boeing 767 carrying 231 migrants from Phoenix. Washington stopped deportation flights when increased US military activity over Venezuela meant it was no longer safe to travel there. The rapid resumption of the flights shows how important this effort is for Trump’s agenda as a whole. As long as Rodríguez guarantees that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement can deport as many Venezuelan migrants to Caracas as it wants, she will have plenty of friends in Trump’s circle.