During a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez delivered a speech marked by diplomatic restraint, expressing gratitude to US President Donald Trump for the resumption of diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two nations. This tone stood in sharp contrast to her appearance at the same podium in September 2019, when she served as vice president under Nicolas Maduro. Back then, she condemned the United States for perpetrating “economic terrorism” through financial channels rather than military force, citing $130 billion in Venezuelan economic losses between 2015 and 2018 due to US sanctions.
In 2019, Rodriguez also criticized the influence of “plutocratic minorities” within the US political system, arguing that such domination rendered America unfit to impose its model on other nations. Seven years later, with Trump firmly in power, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. Rodriguez was photographed smiling alongside Trump in New York, less than nine months after he oversaw the removal of Maduro, who was kidnapped and is now incarcerated in Brooklyn. Maduro is scheduled to stand trial in June 2027, despite his claims that prosecuting a sitting head of state violates international law.
The circumstances surrounding Maduro’s removal remain controversial. On January 3, US military air strikes killed approximately 100 people in Venezuela before Maduro and his wife were taken into custody. Maduro faces accusations including leadership of the alleged “Cartel of the Suns” and conspiracy to possess destructive devices—charges leveled by a nation that recently employed extensive aerial bombardment against Venezuela.
Rodriguez’s UN appearance followed a day in which Trump celebrated the trampling of Venezuelan sovereignty and announced what the White House termed the “biggest oil deal in world history.” The agreement grants the United States majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves. Trump publicly stated, “To the victor belong the spoils,” acknowledging the military action that facilitated the resource transfer. Since January, the US has lifted many coercive economic measures against Venezuela, including sanctions previously imposed on Rodriguez. These sanctions, prior to their easing, were estimated by former UN expert Alfred-Maurice de Zayas to have contributed to 100,000 deaths by 2020.
Critics argue that replacing economic sanctions with de facto colonial control is not a beneficial arrangement for Venezuela. Meanwhile, Trump’s ongoing military actions against vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific have drawn warnings from a recent UN report that such conduct may constitute crimes against humanity. Gregory Wilpert, founder of Venezuelanalysis, suggested that Rodriguez may be “over-complying” with Trump given her vulnerable position. He noted the risks she faces, including the possibility of being kidnapped like Maduro, targeted through government decapitation strategies similar to those used against Iran, or subjected to an economic siege akin to the policy imposed on Cuba.
During her address, Rodriguez promised that Venezuela would hold elections at an unspecified future date, though observers note that the US appears prioritizing loyal leadership over democratic processes. Analysts suggest Rodriguez may be positioning herself as one of the acceptable figures for Washington, marking a significant strategic pivot from her previous staunch opposition.
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