Overview
- President Donald Trump confirmed a long phone call with interim president Delcy Rodríguez, saying they discussed petroleum, minerals, commerce and national security, and noted Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading talks.
- Rodríguez described the exchange as respectful and focused on a bilateral work agenda, while her claim of 406 recent prisoner releases was questioned by human rights groups that report far lower figures.
- The White House plans to host opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday, reflecting parallel outreach even as Washington centers engagement on Rodríguez’s interim government.
- Venezuelan envoy Félix Plasencia is expected in Washington for discussions on reopening Venezuela’s embassy, with U.S. officials describing cooperation from Rodríguez’s team.
- The high‑level contact follows the Jan. 3 U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro and shifted Caracas’s leadership, as Washington pursues stabilization efforts and energy arrangements with the interim authorities.