Who will lead Venezuela? Trump backs VP Delcy Rodríguez, dismisses Nobel laureate Machado

US President Donald Trump rejected Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader María Corina Machado as a viable leader for Venezuela, instead signaling Washington’s willingness to work with figures from the existing power structure as the United States moves to manage the country following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.  

Speaking at a news conference hours after confirming that US special forces had seized Maduro and his wife in Caracas, Trump dismissed Machado’s leadership credentials, saying she lacked domestic backing despite international acclaim.  

“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” Trump said. “She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”  

Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, responded on social media by declaring that “the hour of freedom has arrived” and calling on opposition-backed candidate Edmundo González Urrutia to immediately assume the presidency.

Machado had dedicated the award to US President Donald Trump, describing his role as “decisive” in the country’s fight for freedom. 

Washington looks beyond the Opposition  

Despite Machado’s appeal, Trump indicated the US would instead engage with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime loyalist of Maduro, whom he described as being “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”  

Trump claimed Rodríguez had been “just sworn in” as president following Maduro’s capture, though Reuters reported that Venezuela’s government had not confirmed any swearing-in ceremony. Rodríguez’s whereabouts remain unclear, with unverified reports placing her in Russia — claims denied by Russian state media.  

Trump made clear that the US presence in Venezuela would continue until what he called a “proper transition” was achieved. He confirmed that American officials and cabinet-level figures would be directly involved in governing the country in the interim.  

“We’re going to be running it with a group,” Trump said. “We’re designating people.”  

Oil, power & military signals 

The US president framed the operation in Caracas as extending far beyond law enforcement, linking it explicitly to Venezuela’s vast oil sector and the role of American energy companies.  

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure,” Trump said. “We’ll be selling large amounts of oil.”  

Trump also left open the possibility of deploying US troops, saying Washington was “not afraid of boots on the ground,” underscoring the likelihood of a prolonged American role in stabilizing and overseeing Venezuela.  

Earlier in the day, Trump posted a photograph showing Maduro aboard a US naval vessel, blindfolded, handcuffed and wearing noise-cancelling ear muffs. US officials confirmed that Maduro and his wife were being flown to New York to face long-standing narcotics and terrorism charges.  

Who Is Delcy Rodríguez?  

At the center of Washington’s emerging plan is Delcy Rodríguez, 56, one of the most powerful figures in Venezuela’s ruling elite. Born in Caracas in 1969, Rodríguez is the daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, a left-wing guerrilla fighter and founder of the Liga Socialista party in the 1970s.  

A fierce defender of Venezuela’s socialist project, Rodríguez has been a key enforcer of Maduro’s authority. He once described her as a “tiger,” a reference to her combative style and loyalty.  

Rodríguez works closely with her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly. Over the past decade, she has held a succession of influential roles, including communications minister, foreign minister, and head of the pro-government Constituent Assembly that expanded Maduro’s powers.  

Appointed vice president in 2018, Rodríguez was later tasked with overseeing the oil ministry in August 2024, as US sanctions tightened around Venezuela’s most critical industry. She has simultaneously served as vice president, finance minister and oil minister, placing her at the center of efforts to manage hyperinflation, negotiate with the private sector and keep the economy afloat.  

An attorney trained at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Rodríguez is also known for her affinity for designer fashion and her rapid rise through the political ranks.  

As Venezuela’s political future remains uncertain, Rodríguez released an audio message during the crisis calling on the United States to provide proof of life for Maduro and his wife, raising further questions about her role and location.