> At a Glance
> – Delcy Rodríguez ordered $500,000 from Citgo to Trump’s 2017 inauguration, betting on U.S. investment.
> – After Maduro’s fall, Trump now praises her as “gracious” while demanding total oil access.
> – No elections mentioned despite 30-day constitutional deadline.
> Why it matters: Venezuela’s next leader is courting Washington without promising a vote, shaping oil markets and regional stability.
In 2017, Delcy Rodríguez-then Venezuela’s foreign minister-saw a lifeline in Donald Trump’s Washington debut and seized it. A decade later, with Nicolás Maduro ousted, the same gambit has elevated her to interim president, championed by Trump yet haunted by the democracy she sidelined.
The 2017 Gamble
Rodríguez funneled $500,000 from Citgo to Trump’s inaugural fund and hired his ex-campaign manager as a Citgo lobbyist. She courted Republicans, pushed for Exxon talks, and envisioned American cash reviving Venezuela’s oil economy.
- Rubio’s opposition killed the charm offensive within weeks.
- U.S. sanctions tightened instead.
- Rodríguez still gained D.C. visibility, teeing up her ascent.
Rise Through Tragedy
A 1976 police interrogation left her father dead and 7-year-old Delcy radicalized against the U.S. She entered Chávez’s movement via brother Jorge, but arrogance got her booted from the presidential plane in 2006 and fired days later.
Maduro resurrected her career in 2013; by 2018 she was vice president, controlling oil, sanctions negotiations, and anti-corruption purges that jailed rival Tareck El Aissami in 2024.
Power Broker Under Pressure
Insiders compare her to Deng Xiaoping-a pragmatic operator who hired foreign technocrats and renegotiated debt amid U.S. sanctions. Trump now wants open oil access and Chavismo unity, but elections remain unmentioned.
Key Voices
**Lee McClenny, ex-top U.S. diplomat in Caracas:
> “She’s an ideologue, but a practical one.”
Elliott Abrams, former Trump envoy:
> “No one is talking about elections. If they think Delcy is running things, they are completely wrong.”
Hans Humes, Greylock Capital:
> “You need people who know how to work with how things are, not how they were.”
Key Takeaways
- Rodríguez’s 2017 outreach failed on policy but boosted her profile.
- She now runs Venezuela without a vote scheduled.
- Trump demands oil access and security cooperation, not democracy.
- Washington may accept Chavismo continuity to avoid Iraq-style chaos.
Whether pragmatism or pressure prevails, Venezuela’s next chapter starts with Rodríguez in charge-and elections still missing.
