The fate of Venezuela hangs in the balance, and a dangerous proposition is gaining traction: entrusting the country’s future to Delcy Rodríguez, the current Vice President under the recently captured Nicolás Maduro. This is a path fraught with peril, a gamble with the nation’s soul that should be rejected outright.
Just a year ago, a remarkable, yet discreet, operation unfolded. Richard Grenell, then President Trump’s envoy, personally delivered a message to Maduro – a message backed by the weight of American resolve. The result? The release of six American citizens held captive, a testament to the power of direct engagement, even with a leader deemed illegitimate.
That negotiation occurred while the United States refused to recognize Maduro’s claim to the presidency following the disputed 2024 election. The release of the Americans was a tangible outcome, a demonstration of leverage. Now, with Maduro in custody, the idea of turning to his Vice President feels like a betrayal of that hard-won position.
President Trump himself voiced his skepticism during a recent press conference. Rodríguez, he revealed, had offered assistance in rebuilding Venezuela. But the President immediately underscored the critical point: she is Maduro’s Vice President, inextricably linked to a decade of corruption and oppression.
To entertain the notion of Rodríguez leading Venezuela forward is to ignore the depth of her involvement in sustaining a failing regime. She wasn’t merely a figurehead; she was a central operator, the civilian architect of a system built on illicit gains and foreign interference.
Evidence suggests Rodríguez functioned as the key link between the Maduro government and the “Cartel de los Soles,” a transnational criminal network. She allegedly managed the flow of funds – laundered cryptocurrency, illegal gold revenues, and the proceeds of narcotrafficking – all while forging alliances with nations like Iran, Russia, Cuba, and China.
Her influence extended to a chilling reality: the infiltration of Venezuela by terrorist organizations. Reports indicate that members of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis operated within the country, facilitated by Rodríguez’s assistance in providing passports and financial support. Intelligence agencies have directly linked their financing to the Vice President.
The potential for valuable intelligence is undeniable. Rodríguez possesses knowledge of where these terrorist groups concealed their funds and cryptocurrency within Venezuela. However, that potential gain does not outweigh the inherent risk of empowering someone so deeply entrenched in a corrupt and dangerous system.
President Trump’s instinct is correct. To believe that Delcy Rodríguez represents a viable path to a stable and prosperous Venezuela is a dangerous delusion. Anyone advocating for her leadership should be regarded with the utmost suspicion, their motives carefully scrutinized.
Rodríguez openly condemned Maduro’s arrest, labeling it an “atrocity” and a violation of international law. Her loyalty remains firmly with the deposed leader, and her vision for Venezuela is undoubtedly a continuation of the policies that brought the nation to its knees.
