US sees Delcy Rodriguez as compliant interim leader
Plans for Rodriguez to assume interim leadership were finalized weeks before the early Saturday operation that resulted in the detention of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, first lady Cilia Flores, and their transfer to the United States to face criminal charges, as stated by reports citing a senior official.
Rodriguez, who previously served as both vice president and oil minister, was seen favorably in Washington due to her management of the country’s vital oil industry and what officials viewed as a readiness to engage with the US, according to the account.
One senior US official was quoted as saying, “I’ve been watching her career for a long time, so I have some sense of who she is and what she’s about.”
Officials emphasized that Rodriguez was not considered a long-term answer to Venezuela’s political crisis, but rather someone with whom a functional and professional working relationship could be maintained, according to reports.
Following Maduro’s capture, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Rodriguez to “immediately” take over as acting president. US President Donald Trump has said Washington intends to assert control over Venezuela for the time being, including the possible deployment of US forces if deemed necessary.
Rodriguez was formally sworn in as interim president on Monday before the National Assembly, where Maduro’s son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, pledged his “unconditional support.”
The previous day, Rodriguez had called on Trump to cooperate on an “agenda of cooperation.”
While Trump has warned of consequences if Rodriguez fails to align with his administration’s approach for Venezuela, he has also indicated that senior US officials had been in contact with her and that she appeared willing to work with Washington.
In a separate interview on Monday, however, Trump rejected claims that US officials or individuals close to Rodriguez had been contacted ahead of Saturday’s operation.
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