After the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro by US special forces on the morning of January 3, Venezuela’s then-Vice President Delcy Rodríguez condemned the operation as a kidnapping and declared that the country would oppose the United States.
However, his tone quickly changed. Just a day later, US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Rodríguez “is essentially ready to do what we think to make Venezuela great again.” And indeed, the new interim president invited the US government to “work together on a cooperative agenda” the same day. Shortly afterward, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a three-phase plan for cooperation.
Step 1: Strengthening Inner Strength
After 100 days in office, the acting president appears to be filling the power vacuum left by Maduro’s ouster, and also completing Phase 1 of Washington’s plan. On January 5, with the approval of the Army and the Supreme Court, Delcy Rodríguez took the oath of office before the National Assembly, which has been presided over by his brother Jorge Rodríguez since January 2021.
Through a series of personnel changes, she is consolidating her control over key institutions such as the judiciary, the military and the administration. Rodriguez filled at least 12 top spots in a matter of weeks. The most prominent change was that of Foreign Minister Vladimir Padrino López in March, who was forced to step down, possibly due to the debacle caused by Maduro’s capture. He was replaced by Gustavo González López, the former head of the notorious secret service agency SEBIN. Rodríguez appointed him as head of his personal guard in early January. There has been no power struggle and the Rodriguez government appears stable.
Does Caracas play by Washington’s rules?
Despite numerous denials from Caracas, Venezuela’s interim government is largely following Rubio’s script. Even the tone toward Washington has changed.
In an interview with a Spanish newspaper el pas In early April, the Speaker of the National Assembly and brother of the President, Jorge Rodríguez, said that they were working with the US government in a very professional manner. Although she stressed that she was not receiving specific instructions from Washington, it is clear that the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is now praising cooperation with those it referred to as “US imperialists” – and even hinted that the government is now ready for reforms.
Phase 2: Economic Recovery
For more than a decade, the Maduro-led PSUV government has failed to contain inflation to manageable levels, let alone achieve sustainable growth for the Venezuelan economy. In just a few weeks, Delcy Rodríguez has now paved the way for foreign private investors to enter Venezuela’s oil sector.
In doing so, he has raised hopes domestically that Venezuela’s troubled economy can stabilize. Meanwhile, US ratings agency Moody’s already sees the country as having a “stable outlook”. In late March, Rodriguez delivered a video message to an investor conference in Miami to attract foreign capital to invest in key sectors such as oil, construction, banking and insurance as well as the manufacturing industry.
Poverty is the biggest problem
As shocking as the US attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty may have been to many people at home and abroad, it did not provoke any major national protests. South America bureau chief Juan Forero said many Venezuelans were also glad Maduro was gone wall street journal, told American magazine America QuarterlyAfter returning from Venezuela in February. In his view, many Venezuelans had hope that things would get better.
mid 2025 survey According to the US institute Gallup, 64% of respondents said that the country’s economic problems were their biggest concern, which is not surprising given the increased hyperinflation since 2017. Last year, the rate was nearly 500% — meaning a January 2025 pay check of 100 bolivars was worth only 20 bolivars by the time Maduro is ousted from power. Depending on the measurement, 50% to 80% of households lived in poverty last year.
According to Gallup, only 14% of those surveyed saw the political situation as their number one problem. Only 1% cited the security situation as their top priority – in a country with one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Therefore, the government is well aware that “the most important thing at the moment is the economy,” as Congressman and brother of the President, Jorge Rodríguez, emphasized in his interview. el pas in early April. Asked about democratic elections, he said they would eventually take place, but it was too early to say when and in what form.
Meanwhile, repression continues. According to data from the Foro Penal organization, about 500 political prisoners have been released since January. But almost the same number are still in custody.
“The reforms so far are not aimed at openness and democratization, but at keeping the interim government in power indefinitely,” Victor M. Mijares, a political scientist at the University of the Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, told DW.
“For now, the PSUV will have very little chance of winning new elections,” he said, adding that the previous election victory in mid-2024 was highly controversial. According to the opposition’s numbers, its candidates won with an overwhelming majority. “However, a significant economic recovery could change their prospects,” Mijares said.
Also WSJ correspondent Forero believes that Delcy Rodriguez’s government is playing for time, hoping that the United States – under the latest president – may lose interest in Venezuela’s democratization. After all, the US has already signaled its goodwill by easing sanctions.
Step 3: Will the US insist on elections?
However, political scientist Mijares is skeptical that such a plan could work. For one thing, some members of the US government take the fight against socialism in Latin America very seriously, notably Secretary of State Rubio, who is the son of Cuban exiles.
“Additional pressure comes from the U.S. business community, particularly the oil industry, which insists on the rule of law in Venezuela,” Mijares said. He said that for Donald Trump, Venezuela’s democratization serves as a kind of blueprint for “slower but less expensive regime change.”
At the same time, he says, the Venezuelan government finds itself in a dilemma: “Rodríguez must establish a legal framework to attract the necessary capital flows, which, as a transitional government, he is unable to do effectively.”
This article was originally written in German.