Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed Venezuela’s interim presidency following Nicolás Maduro’s capture, held a meeting with US President Donald Trump at a Manhattan hotel. The encounter took place during the UN General Assembly session, with Rodríguez describing it as historic and focused on strengthening bilateral relations in areas including energy, mining, and security. The meeting was attended by high-ranking US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
The timing of the meeting proved notable given that Maduro, who served as president before his January capture during a special forces raid, is currently incarcerated at a Brooklyn detention facility approximately 7 miles from the hotel where Rodríguez and Trump met. When asked by reporters whether she would visit Maduro during her New York visit, Rodríguez did not respond. During the UN assembly, Trump publicly celebrated the military operation that led to Maduro’s capture and the subsequent oil agreement between the two nations, which he characterized as the largest in history.
Rodríguez’s consolidation of power has proceeded with apparent US approval, as Trump has publicly praised her leadership while sidelining opposition figure María Corina Machado, who remains exiled in Panama. Since Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez has made significant concessions to the United States, including ceding control of Venezuela’s oil revenues and agreeing to the major oil deal. Some observers interpreted the photograph of Rodríguez and Trump as showing signs of discomfort, while critics viewed the meeting as a humiliation for a socialist politician with a history of anti-American rhetoric.
Latin America experts noted that the meeting served strategic purposes for both parties. For Rodríguez, the photograph with Trump provided international legitimacy and signaled Washington’s willingness to maintain diplomatic relations. For Trump, the encounter demonstrated to supporters that the United States had successfully gained control of Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves. The meeting represented a broader shift in US regional policy, with Trump pursuing reassertive approaches toward Latin American governance that contrasted with earlier US diplomatic restraint.
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