The capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces last week has exposed a complex web of secret negotiations and shifting allegiances within the Venezuelan government, revealing that one of Maduro’s closest allies—Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—may have played a decisive role in facilitating his downfall. According to reporting by the Spanish newspaper El Mostrador, Rodríguez, in coordination with Qatar, engaged in months-long talks with U.S. officials to present herself as a viable alternative to Maduro while protecting her own political position and Venezuela’s continuity of governance.
At a press conference on January 3, U.S. President Donald Trump described Rodríguez as cooperative, claiming she had told Secretary of State Marco Rubio that she would “do whatever you need.” Yet, hours later, Rodríguez appeared on Venezuelan television denouncing Maduro’s detention, calling him the “only president of Venezuela” and labeling the U.S. military operation as a “savage attack” on her country. Trump responded to her defiance in an interview with The Atlantic, warning that if she did not comply with U.S. expectations, she could face consequences “probably higher than Maduro’s.”
El Mostrador reports that Rodríguez and her brother Jorge, president of the National Assembly, had engaged in discreet negotiations with the U.S. since April of the previous year. The talks were facilitated by Qatar, a country uniquely positioned as a friendly intermediary with both Washington and Caracas. According to journalist Antonio María Delgado, the discussions aimed to preserve political stability in Venezuela while removing Maduro from power, offering a plan described as “Madurismo without Maduro.” Under the proposals, Rodríguez would initially assume leadership, with the possibility of later transferring authority to retired General Miguel Rodríguez, currently living in exile in Spain. The plan also included guarantees for Maduro’s personal security and arrangements that would allow U.S. companies to access Venezuelan oil and mining resources. Maduro himself was reportedly aware of these discussions, even as Trump publicly claimed he had been offered multiple options for exile before being captured.
Despite months of negotiation, the Trump administration rejected proposals that would allow Maduro to remain in Venezuela, citing concerns about the stability of any agreement that left him in the country. At the same time, a classified U.S. intelligence assessment reported by the Wall Street Journal on January 5 concluded that top figures within Maduro’s regime—including Delcy Rodríguez—would be best positioned to maintain order and prevent chaos in the event of Maduro’s removal. The report indicated that opposition leaders, including Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, lacked sufficient support among the military and other influential elites to take control, highlighting the administration’s decision to back Rodríguez instead of the opposition.
El Mostrador further details the Rodríguez siblings’ ties to networks associated with the Maduro regime, including suspicions of involvement in logistical and financial operations linked to drug trafficking. While neither Delcy nor Jorge Rodríguez is formally indicted in U.S. courts, their long-standing influence within the government made them key players in negotiations that sought to protect Venezuela’s political system while satisfying U.S. demands. Qatar’s role as mediator reportedly provided the siblings with the means to negotiate confidentially with U.S. officials and maintain their positions, while also concealing aspects of their financial interests.
According to the reporting, the first round of proposals in April envisioned Delcy Rodríguez taking over the presidency while Maduro remained in the country under security guarantees, with U.S. companies gaining access to strategic sectors. The second round, in September, included transferring power to Miguel Rodríguez and sending Maduro into exile in Turkey or Qatar. Notably, opposition figures such as María Corina Machado were excluded from these plans because the Rodríguez siblings considered her too rigid to participate in a negotiated transition.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports that a CIA assessment was a critical factor in shaping Trump’s decision to support Rodríguez. Senior administration officials concluded that she, along with other regime insiders, would be able to maintain short-term stability in Venezuela, whereas leaders like Machado or Edmundo González—recognized as winners of the 2024 election—would face resistance from pro-regime security services, criminal networks, and entrenched political elites. This intelligence briefing informed U.S. decisions in the hours following Maduro’s capture, guiding military, economic, and diplomatic actions designed to ensure that control of Venezuela did not slip into a vacuum.
In public statements following Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez appeared to shift her position, signaling a willingness to cooperate with U.S. officials. Secretary of State Rubio emphasized that Washington would ensure Venezuela’s oil revenues were restricted until the acting government aligned with U.S. interests, while Trump declared, “We’re in charge. We need total access. We need access to the oil and to other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country.”
El Mostrador’s investigation portrays a highly coordinated effort in which the Rodríguez siblings leveraged Qatar’s mediation, their connections within Maduro’s inner circle, and their control of key institutions to negotiate with U.S. authorities, all while presenting a public image of loyalty to Maduro. According to the reporting, the siblings were responsible for maintaining crucial lines of communication between Caracas and Washington and concealing financial assets, ensuring that they retained leverage in shaping the post-Maduro order.
Trump’s decision to back Rodríguez, rather than opposition leaders, blindsided many in the U.S. and Venezuela who had expected Machado to play a central role. Yet, as former White House Latin America official Juan Cruz noted, “Trump sees the opposition as losers, as they failed to deliver. It’s an opposition that he sees as unimpressive and having come up short, so why would you just turn it over to them?” The administration’s approach reflects a focus on maintaining control through figures who already possess authority over the military and elite networks, ensuring that any transition aligns with U.S. strategic and economic goals.
