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In 2017, as Donald Trump prepared to assume the presidency, Venezuela’s then-foreign minister Delcy Rodríguez saw a strategic opportunity. She directed Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil company, to donate $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration, hoping to open doors for American investment in Venezuela’s struggling economy. She simultaneously pursued connections with Republican lawmakers and sought meetings with major energy companies like Exxon.
The diplomatic gambit failed to shift Trump’s policy toward the Maduro regime. Influenced by Senator Marco Rubio, the administration instead prioritized democracy restoration in Venezuela and took a hard stance against Nicolás Maduro’s crackdown on political opponents. Nevertheless, the outreach efforts elevated Rodríguez’s profile in U.S. political and business circles, setting the stage for her eventual rise to power.
“She’s an ideologue, but a practical one,” observed Lee McClenny, a retired U.S. diplomat who served in Caracas during Rodríguez’s outreach period. “She knew that Venezuela needed to find a way to resuscitate a moribund oil economy and seemed willing to work with the Trump administration to do that.”
Nearly a decade later, Rodríguez has ascended to become Venezuela’s interim president following Maduro’s unexpected capture. Her message that “Venezuela is open for business” appears to have resonated with Trump, who has described her as a “gracious” partner while simultaneously issuing veiled threats about maintaining access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Notably absent from both leaders’ rhetoric is any mention of elections, despite constitutional requirements mandating a vote within 30 days of a permanent presidential vacancy.
Those who have worked with Rodríguez describe her as intellectually formidable, occasionally charming, but ultimately a ruthless political operator who brooks no opposition. Her political worldview was profoundly shaped by family tragedy. In 1976, her father, a socialist leader, was detained for questioning regarding the kidnapping of an American businessman and died in custody. This traumatic event, which left Rodríguez fatherless at age seven, instilled in her a deep resentment toward U.S. influence in Venezuela.
Rodríguez’s initial political career under Hugo Chávez was marked by setbacks. Despite securing a position in Chávez’s office through her brother Jorge Rodríguez’s connections, she clashed with colleagues who viewed her as arrogant. In 2006, Chávez publicly humiliated her during an international trip, removing her from the presidential plane in Moscow after schedule conflicts derailed planned meetings. She was subsequently fired and remained sidelined during Chávez’s remaining years in power.
Her political resurrection came in 2013 when Maduro assumed leadership following Chávez’s death. Rodríguez’s international education, fluency in English, and extensive time spent in the United States gave her distinct advantages in navigating Venezuela’s factional politics. She became a favorite among the “boligarchs”—wealthy elites who profited during the Chávez era—including media magnate Raul Gorrín, who helped organize back-channel diplomatic efforts with the Trump administration.
After being appointed vice president in 2018, Rodríguez gained significant control over Venezuela’s oil economy. She recruited international advisers with experience in export-driven economies, including former Ecuadorian finance ministers and French lawyer David Syed, who has worked to restructure Venezuela’s foreign debt despite U.S. sanctions.
As her influence grew, Rodríguez systematically eliminated internal rivals, including once-powerful Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami, who was jailed in 2024 during an anti-corruption campaign she spearheaded. Serving as Venezuela’s de facto chief operating officer, she established a reputation as a more pragmatic and reliable partner than Maduro, earning comparisons to China’s economic reformer Deng Xiaoping.
Hans Humes, CEO of Greylock Capital Management, suggests this experience positions her well to stabilize Venezuela’s economy and prevent factional conflicts within Chavismo. He warns that imposing an opposition government led by long-exiled figures could trigger Iraq-style instability.
The future of Venezuelan democracy under Rodríguez remains uncertain. Trump has notably dismissed opposition leader María Corina Machado, despite international recognition of her candidate’s victory in the contested 2024 presidential election. Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela during Trump’s first term, contends that allowing Chavismo factions to share power undermines Trump’s stated goal of eliminating criminal and terrorist elements from the Western Hemisphere.
“Nothing that Trump has said suggests his administration is contemplating a quick transition away from Delcy. No one is talking about elections,” Abrams warned. “If they think Delcy is running things, they are completely wrong.”
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9 Comments
Interesting to see Delcy Rodríguez’s pragmatic approach in courting the Trump administration for investment in Venezuela’s struggling oil economy. While the diplomatic gambit ultimately failed, it highlights the complex dynamics at play in the region.
Agreed. Even ideologues can be practical when faced with economic realities. It will be worth watching how Venezuela navigates this challenging period.
This article highlights the intricate web of political, economic, and ideological factors at play in Venezuela’s relationship with the U.S. Rodríguez’s maneuverings, while pragmatic, were unable to overcome the entrenched positions of the Trump administration.
It will be interesting to see how Venezuela’s leadership continues to adapt and respond to the evolving political and economic realities in the region.
The $500,000 donation from Citgo to Trump’s inauguration was a bold move, though it clearly did not sway the administration’s stance on Venezuela. Rodríguez’s networking with energy companies and Republican lawmakers seems to have raised her profile, paving the way for her rise to power.
It’s a fascinating case study in how political and business interests can intersect, even across adversarial lines. The geopolitical implications will be important to follow.
The dynamics between Venezuela and the U.S. are clearly multi-faceted, with Rodríguez’s efforts to court the Trump administration just one aspect of a complex geopolitical landscape. This case study underscores the challenges of fostering international cooperation in the face of deep ideological divides.
With Venezuela’s economy in dire straits, Rodríguez’s willingness to work with the Trump administration, despite their differences, shows a pragmatic side. It’s a risky strategy, but one that could potentially have paid off had the administration been more receptive.
The tensions between ideology and practicality are clearly on display here. Rodríguez’s outreach efforts may have elevated her profile, but ultimately failed to shift the U.S. policy toward Venezuela. This underscores the challenges of navigating complex geopolitical landscapes.