Washington’s long-standing promise to restore democracy in Venezuela has taken an unexpected turn. While Nicolás Maduro is now behind bars in New York on U.S. drug trafficking charges, his removal has not ushered in the opposition-led transition many Venezuelans hoped for. Instead, President Donald Trump’s administration has allowed key figures from Maduro’s inner circle to remain in control, effectively sidelining the opposition and keeping the ruling party in power.

At the center of this interim arrangement is Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s vice president, who has assumed the role of interim leader with tacit U.S. acceptance. The decision represents a sharp break from years of bipartisan U.S. support for Venezuela’s opposition, which had vowed to immediately replace Maduro and restore democratic governance in the oil-rich nation.

Most opposition leaders are now either imprisoned or in exile, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, leaving the movement fractured and unable to assert control at a critical moment. According to sources familiar with the administration’s thinking, the White House concluded that the opposition lacked the capacity to maintain public order during a fragile transition period.

Stability Over Democracy—For Now

U.S. officials reportedly accepted a classified CIA assessment concluding that Maduro’s closest advisers were best positioned to govern temporarily and prevent chaos. The overriding concern in Washington is stability: avoiding a power vacuum that could spark unrest, disrupt oil production, or require U.S. troops on the ground.

As part of this strategy, the Trump administration has engaged with controversial figures still loyal to the former regime. Diosdado Cabello, a hardline power broker accused of widespread human rights abuses, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, who controls the armed forces and faces U.S. drug trafficking charges, are seen as pivotal actors in maintaining order.

“This remains a law enforcement operation, and we are not finished,” a senior U.S. Justice Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Key Appointments Signal Continuity

In one of her first moves as interim president, Rodríguez appointed General Gustavo González López as head of the Presidential Honor Guard and the Military Counterintelligence Directorate (DGCIM). González López has been sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union for alleged human rights violations and corruption. He previously served as Venezuela’s intelligence chief and later held a senior role at state oil company PDVSA.

Rodríguez also named Calixto Ortega, a former Central Bank president, as vice president of the economy—another signal that economic management and oil policy are top priorities during the transition.

U.S. Leverage and Strategic Demands

Behind the scenes, Washington is pressing Venezuela’s interim leadership to meet a series of demands: opening the oil industry on favorable terms for U.S. companies, cracking down on drug trafficking, expelling Cuban security personnel, and ending cooperation with Iran. U.S. officials expect tangible progress within weeks.

Financial pressure remains a key lever. U.S. authorities have identified overseas assets allegedly linked to Rodríguez, including funds reportedly held in Qatar—claims that Qatari officials have denied.

A Transition Without a Timeline

Despite assurances that new elections remain the ultimate goal, U.S. officials have offered no clear timeline or roadmap. Critics have condemned the approach as neocolonial and a violation of international law, noting that it represents the most significant U.S. intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.

For now, Washington views Rodríguez as the linchpin of a transition strategy still “very much a work in progress.” Whether this uneasy alliance between former regime loyalists and the United States can hold—and whether it will eventually lead to democratic elections—remains deeply uncertain.