Before the US military captured Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge secretly assured US and Qatari officials that they would cooperate with the Trump administration once Maduro was gone, according to four high-level sources.
Rodríguez, who was sworn in as acting president on 5 January, and her brother, head of the national assembly, communicated through intermediaries that they welcomed Maduro’s departure. The talks began in the autumn and continued after Trump’s November phone call demanding Maduro leave, which he rejected.
By December, Rodríguez told the US government she was ready, saying “Maduro needs to go” and that she would work with the aftermath. Marco Rubio, initially sceptical, came to believe her promises were the best way to prevent chaos. The siblings did not agree to actively help topple Maduro, sources insisted.
Hours after the raid, Trump confirmed the talks, telling the New York Post that Rodríguez understood. The Venezuelan government labelled the story “fake” on X but did not elaborate. The White House did not respond to detailed questions.
Official talks between Trump aides and the Maduro government also occurred, including a meeting with Ric Grenell about US prisoners. Delcy Rodríguez maintained close ties with Qatar, which donated a $400m jet to Trump and facilitated secret negotiations. In October, she proposed a transition government led by her, but the plan fell through.
