The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has travelled to Caracas to meet Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, less than two weeks after his agents helped oust Nicolás Maduro. The visit comes as sidelined opposition leader María Corina Machado insists she will become the country's first elected female president.
Machado, a Nobel peace prize laureate, handed her medal to Donald Trump in recognition of his role in removing Maduro, whom US special forces captured on 3 January. 'I believe I will be elected, when the right time comes, as president of Venezuela – the first woman president of Venezuela,' she told Fox News.
Despite her bullishness, experts say Trump has marginalised her movement. Instead of backing Machado, whose opposition is widely believed to have won the 2024 election, Trump has endorsed Rodríguez, calling her a 'terrific person'. She governs with support from Maduro allies including Diosdado Cabello, and has vowed to improve US ties.
Eva Golinger, a US lawyer who advised Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chávez, said the opposition is sidelined. 'They have no role in what's going on. They're out of the game for now.' Trump's decision was reportedly based on personal animosity towards Machado and CIA advice that she could not prevent a security breakdown.
Trump’s administration has been open about working with Maduro's allies to prevent a collapse of the nation. The US energy secretary, Chris Wright, said: 'We need to work with the people that have the guns today to ultimately move the country to a representative government.' Golinger noted Rodríguez is already complying with Trump's demands, including opening Venezuela's oil reserves to US companies.
Machado's gift of the medal is seen as an attempt to regain influence, but analysts doubt it will work. Imdat Oner, a former Turkish diplomat, said her hands are tied and she understands she has been sidelined. Ratcliffe's meeting in Caracas is viewed as another blow to both Machado and Rodríguez's interim administration.
