American intelligence assessments indicate uncertainty over whether Venezuela’s interim president will fully align with U.S. demands to sever ties with rival powers following the ouster of Nicolas Maduro.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. intelligence reports have raised doubts about whether interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will cooperate with the Trump administration by formally cutting ties with U.S. adversaries, according to reporting cited by Reuters.
U.S. officials have said publicly they want Rodriguez to sever Venezuela’s relationships with international partners such as Iran, China, and Russia, including expelling their diplomats and advisers from the country. Those governments have played longstanding roles in Venezuela’s political, military, and energy sectors.
Rodriguez, whose swearing-in ceremony earlier this month was attended by representatives from Iran, China, and Russia, has not publicly announced any decision to terminate those relationships. She assumed the presidency after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured by U.S. forces on Jan. 3.
According to U.S. intelligence reports, it remains unclear whether Rodriguez is fully committed to Washington’s strategy for Venezuela. The assessments were described by sources familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas on Jan. 15 and met with Rodriguez to discuss the country’s political future, though it could not be determined whether those discussions altered the intelligence community’s conclusions.
The Trump administration has made reducing the influence of U.S. adversaries in the Western Hemisphere a central foreign policy objective, with Venezuela a key focus due to its vast oil reserves and membership in OPEC. U.S. officials believe a decisive break by Caracas from rival powers could pave the way for expanded American investment in Venezuela’s energy sector.
Failure to secure Rodriguez’s full cooperation, however, could complicate Washington’s effort to guide Venezuela’s interim leadership from afar and avoid a deeper U.S. military involvement in the country.
The Central Intelligence Agency and the Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment. Asked for comment, a senior Trump administration official said President Donald Trump “continues to exert maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s leaders and “expects this cooperation to continue.”
U.S. intelligence agencies previously assessed that officials loyal to Maduro, including Rodriguez, were best positioned to govern Venezuela following his removal. Critics of the administration’s Venezuela strategy have questioned whether keeping Maduro-era figures in power undermines long-term U.S. objectives. According to two sources, concerns about Rodriguez’s reliability existed even before the U.S. military operation that led to Maduro’s capture.
For Venezuela, complying with U.S. demands would require abandoning its closest allies outside the region. Iran has assisted with repairs to Venezuelan oil refineries, China has accepted oil shipments as repayment for outstanding debt, and Russia has supplied weaponry, including missiles, to the Venezuelan military. Trump has also identified Cuba as a hostile actor he wants Caracas to distance itself from, citing Havana’s role in providing security and intelligence assistance in exchange for discounted Venezuelan oil.
Since Maduro’s removal, Rodriguez has taken steps viewed by U.S. officials as efforts to maintain Washington’s support. Those steps have included releasing political prisoners and authorizing the sale of between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. At the same time, Rodriguez signaled resistance to outside pressure, saying in a speech on Sunday that she had had “enough” of U.S. intervention.
Despite that rhetoric, U.S. officials have held what were described as positive calls with Rodriguez in recent days. According to two sources, the Trump administration currently sees no immediate alternative to working with her, given the public backing Washington has already provided. U.S. officials are nonetheless developing contacts with senior military and security officials as a contingency should the administration decide to shift its approach, one source briefed on Venezuela policy said.
The intelligence reports also addressed the position of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, concluding that she is not currently able to govern the country successfully due in part to limited ties with Venezuela’s security services and oil sector. Machado remains popular with many Venezuelans, and her supporters say she won the 2024 election by a wide margin, though state authorities declared Maduro the victor at the time.
Trump told reporters last week that he wanted Machado “involved” in Venezuela’s leadership, without elaborating. One person familiar with the administration’s discussions said Machado is viewed favorably by the White House as a potential longer-term option. Another source briefed on policy discussions said she could be considered for an advisory role for now, though no final decision has been made. Representatives for Machado did not respond to requests for comment.
Original article
Comments