Overview
- Following the Jan. 3 U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez has taken the executive lead with Washington’s support, while María Corina Machado remains abroad without a role.
- President Trump said Machado lacked the “respect and support” to lead and endorsed Rodríguez, later denying that Machado’s Nobel influenced the choice and stating there will be no elections next month.
- U.S. assessments reported via CIA sources cite Machado’s lack of military backing and the risk of internal conflict as reasons to favor short‑term continuity through Rodríguez.
- Opposition spokesman Luis Emilio Bruni contends Machado would win free elections and calls for the immediate release of political prisoners, pointing to ongoing repression and competing centers of power.
- Analyses cast Rodríguez as a negotiator who preserves administrative continuity and access to security forces, with no time limit announced for her interim role as energy companies stay cautious and the path to a recognized mandate remains unclear.