Nearly a decade after Delcy Rodriguez told the UN General Assembly that Venezuela "does not kneel before any imperial power," the one-time deputy of jailed leader Nicolas Maduro returned to that same podium this week under vastly different circumstances, The Wall Street Journal reported. Now serving as Venezuela's interim president, Rodriguez used her latest address to praise energy agreements with Washington while posing for photographs with the very American leader who ordered her former boss's capture.
Maduro currently sits in a Brooklyn jail, and Rodriguez's Wednesday remarks avoided any reference to him entirely. She instead described a "rebirth" for Venezuela, promising elections without specifying when or how a democratic transition would occur.
At a Manhattan hotel Tuesday, Rodriguez flashed a peace sign as President Donald Trump grinned and gave a thumbs-up, a scene reflecting the alliance formed since January's US military operation that captured Maduro. Earlier that day, Rodriguez sat expressionless in the General Assembly chamber as Trump called her former boss an "outlaw dictator," praised the operation that caught him, and touted oil agreements with Caracas. "To the victor belong the spoils," Trump said.
Nearby, protesters held signs reading "No Vote, No Oil" and "New Face, Same Regime," along with images showing Rodriguez in an orange prison jumpsuit. Her New York appearances signaled her shift from Maduro loyalist to Washington-backed partner. Trump's support opened doors with foreign officials and lenders this week, even as it created dilemmas for those deciding how closely to engage a once-sanctioned figure.
Former US Ambassador James Story framed the stakes bluntly. "Delcy met with the one person who has given her legitimacy," Story said, according to the Journal. "It's a win for her to be on the international stage and be legitimized more publicly.…But when Trump is no longer around, what is the basis of this relationship?"
The political risk tied to engaging with Rodriguez, herself only recently removed from a US sanctions list, surfaced repeatedly throughout her visit. One notable instance came when she crossed the chamber to greet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez mid-call, an exchange of kisses and brief words that circulated widely online and prompted Spain's foreign minister to call it a greeting and "nothing more."
Several foreign officials privately debated raising elections with Rodriguez without appearing to snub Trump's ally. Since January, Rodriguez has signed oil deals with US firms while leaving election timing undecided. An AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll found over 60% of Venezuelans disapprove of her leadership.
In Washington, lawmakers criticized her visit without targeting Trump directly, as many privately admitted the optics strain relations with constituents blaming Rodriguez for repression and graft.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott called a Trump-Rodriguez photo a potential "slap in the face" for Venezuelans beforehand and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart afterward called the images "like a kick in the gut."
US officials said Trump and Rodriguez discussed debt restructuring, economic stability, and political transition. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters, "It was a short meeting, but it was an important meeting. Ultimately, what we want to see in Venezuela is a stable democracy with a functional economy."
Meanwhile, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado failed three times to reach Venezuela by plane and boat this week. Machado, who fled by sea in December to accept her Nobel Peace Prize, has attempted seven returns total, her team says, with Trump officials blocking her first bid in June.
Caracas called the Trump meeting historic, citing talks on energy, mining, and security, but omitted any mention of political transition. Rodriguez's brother, Jorge Rodriguez, who leads Venezuela's National Assembly, said Wednesday, "They can die of envy all they want, but the real stars of this year's UN General Assembly are Venezuela and Delcy Rodríguez."
Rodriguez has also courted former foes like Israel and the UK as Caracas seeks financial reintegration. The UK upgraded ties with Venezuela this month, tied to Rodriguez's push to recover gold held at the Bank of England.
On Monday, Rodriguez met with IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, whose organization has offered reconstruction help and earthquake relief, with a Venezuela office planned for next year.
Critics warn restoring her financial access legitimizes a Maduro ally and delays elections, with polling showing Machado remains far more popular than Rodriguez.
