Trump calls hypothetical election showdown between Delcy Rodríguez, María Corina Machado 'interesting'
The president addressed the press at the White House regarding the Venezuelan political landscape, against a backdrop of bilateral negotiations and openness in the energy sector.
U.S. President Donald Trump described on Monday a potential "interesting" electoral contest between Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, and opposition leader María Corina Machado. The president's remarks came during a brief meeting with the media at the White House, when he was asked about the South American country's political future.
"Well, that would be interesting," Trump said in response to questions from the press about the possibility of seeing both figures compete at the polls for the Venezuelan presidency.
The president's remarks come as talks are underway between representatives of the Chavista movement and an opposition faction led by former congresswoman Dinorah Figuera. Machado is not participating in this negotiation process, which seeks to define mechanisms for an institutional transition and the restructuring of the electoral body.
As part of the strategic rapprochement, the U.S. administration recently lifted the financial sanctions imposed on Jorge Rodríguez -- president of the National Assembly and brother of the interim president -- who is serving as the ruling party's chief negotiator in the talks.
Diplomatic reconfiguration and energy agreements
The regional political landscape underwent a significant restructuring following the capture of Nicolás Maduro January during a U.S. military operation in Caracas. Following that event, Washington and Caracas reestablished bilateral diplomatic relations, which had been suspended since 2019.
In August of this year, both administrations finalized an oil agreement that grants the United States access to one-quarter of Venezuela's proven crude oil reserves.
Machado, winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, continues to live in exile, from where she has denounced the repressive structures in Caracas that maintain systematic blockades to prevent her return to the country and her active participation in the political process.
World
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