The president of the United States, Donald Trump, revealed today that he had an extensive telephone conversation with Delcy Rodríguez, president in charge of Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Trump called Rodríguez “a fantastic person” and highlighted that he is “someone with whom we have worked very well,” according to statements he made in the Oval Office.
The US president emphasized that the call was “long” and that they discussed “many things.”
“I think we are getting along very well with Venezuela,” he added.
For his part, Rodríguez described the talk as “long, productive and courteous” and said that it was developed “in a framework of mutual respect, in which we addressed a bilateral work agenda for the benefit of our people, as well as pending issues in the relationship between our governments.”
This rapprochement represents a notable turn in the relationship between Washington and Caracas, after the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on January 3.
This gesture of dialogue with the Chavista government contrasts with the scheduled visit of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who will meet with Trump this Thursday at the White House.
The meeting takes place after Trump ruled out Machado to lead the South American country for the moment, choosing instead to recognize the interim presidency of Delcy Rodríguez, with whom he agreed to manage millions of barrels of crude oil.
Trump had said that it would be difficult for Machado to lead Venezuela, since he lacks the support or respect of the people. However, he expressed that he was “impatient” to meet with her and described her as “a very nice person.”
Machado, who left Venezuela clandestinely with American collaboration to collect his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, had expressed his symbolic intention of presenting the award to Trump. The president responded that it would be “a great honor,” although the Nobel Institute clarified that the prize cannot be transferred.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted that the decision not to involve Machado in the Venezuelan government was “sound,” citing the cooperation obtained with current Venezuelan authorities, including energy agreements and the release of political prisoners.
Prior to his meeting in Washington, Machado met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, seeking international support for the democratic transition in Venezuela.
Tomorrow’s meeting, Thursday, will be decisive in knowing what role, if any, the opposition leader could have in Washington’s plans for Venezuela, while Trump maintains his commitment to working directly with the government of Delcy Rodríguez.
