US intelligence raises doubts about Venezuelan leader’s cooperation, agency says

Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, speaks on January 8, 2026 during the ceremony honoring Venezuelan and Cuban military and security personnel who died during the US operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters US intelligence reports have raised doubts about whether Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, will cooperate with Donald Trump’s government by formally severing ties with adversaries of the United States, four people familiar with the documents said in recent days. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free American authorities have publicly stated that they want the interim president to break relations with close international allies such as Iran, China and Russia, including expelling her diplomats and advisors from Venezuela. But Rodríguez, whose inauguration ceremony was attended by representatives from those countries earlier this month, has not yet publicly announced such a measure. She became president after the US captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. According to the sources, US intelligence reports state that it is not clear whether it is fully aligned with the American strategy for the country. The sources requested anonymity. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas on January 15, where he discussed the country’s political future with Rodríguez. Reuters was unable to determine whether those conversations changed the intelligence agencies’ assessment. Washington wants to contain the influence of its adversaries in the Western Hemisphere, including in Venezuela, where Trump seeks to exploit the OPEC member country’s vast oil reserves. If Rodríguez were to sever ties with U.S. rivals, it would open up more opportunities for American investment in the Venezuelan energy sector. But an inability to rein in Rodríguez could undermine Washington’s efforts to direct the country’s interim rulers from afar and avoid deeper American military involvement. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment. When contacted, a senior Trump administration official, who asked not to be identified, said that US President Donald Trump “continues to exercise maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s leaders and “expects this cooperation to continue.” Delcy Rodriguez says that American military action is illegitimate, upon taking office as president of Venezuela READ MORE ‘No more orders from Washington’, says interim president of Venezuela ‘Chavismo 3.0’: Delcy Rodríguez’s circle of trust and who gained power with the fall of Maduro in Venezuela Abandon historic allies? The CIA had already assessed that officials loyal to Maduro, including Rodríguez, were best positioned to govern the country after his ouster. But critics of Trump’s Venezuela strategy have expressed doubts about the wisdom of retaining Maduro’s allies as interim leaders. Concerns about Rodríguez’s reliability existed before the U.S. military operation, two sources said. For Venezuela, the US directive means abandoning its closest allies outside the region. Iran helped Venezuela repair oil refineries, while China received oil as debt payments. Russia has supplied weapons, including missiles, to the Venezuelan Armed Forces. Trump also cited communist-ruled Cuba as another U.S. adversary he wants Venezuela to abandon. Havana has provided security and intelligence support while receiving Venezuelan oil at reduced prices. Since Maduro’s removal, Rodríguez — whose deep ties to the oil sector are crucial to keeping the country stable — has taken steps to remain on good terms with Washington, including releasing political prisoners and authorizing the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. In a speech on Sunday, Rodríguez said she was “fed up” with US intervention. Still, U.S. officials have also had positive conversations with her in recent days, according to two of the sources. The Trump administration does not see an immediate alternative to working with Rodríguez, given that it has publicly supported her so strongly, two sources said. But U.S. officials are developing contacts with senior military and security officials in case they decide to change their approach, a source briefed on Venezuela policy said. Machado considered a long-term option to govern Venezuela Recent intelligence reports have also concluded that opposition leader María Corina Machado is not currently capable of successfully governing the country, in part because she does not have strong ties to the security services or the oil sector, the sources said. Some observers and Machado’s movement claim she won the 2024 elections by a wide margin, although the state backed a Maduro victory. She remains popular among Venezuelans. Trump told reporters last week that he wanted Machado “involved” in leading the country, without elaborating. A person familiar with the administration’s discussions with Machado said she is well-regarded by the White House and considered a long-term option for a leadership role in Venezuela. Another source familiar with Venezuela policy suggested that, for now, Machado could be considered for an advisory role, but no firm decision had been made. Representatives for Machado did not respond to a request for comment.

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