The White House announced on Thursday that Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has fulfilled "all the demands and requests" made by the United States following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in early January.
"They have been extremely cooperative. So far, they have met every demand and request from the United States and the President. I believe this has been evident to everyone," stated Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson, during a press briefing in Washington. This coincided with the visit of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Leavitt highlighted the energy agreement between the two nations, valued at $500 million, which allows Washington to sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil and manage the revenues before transferring them to the South American nation.
"The President is pleased with what he sees and hopes this cooperation continues," she added.
The spokesperson also mentioned that Trump "remains hopeful that elections will eventually be held in Venezuela," though she refrained from providing a specific timeline: "I do not have an updated schedule for you today."
These remarks followed the first direct conversation between Trump and Rodríguez, where they discussed matters related to oil, minerals, trade, and security.
According to official sources, the President described the interim Venezuelan leader as a "fantastic person."
The Republican leader also reiterated that there are no plans to deploy troops in Venezuela, "as long as Delcy Rodríguez complies with what we want," referring to commitments of cooperation and regional stability.
The press briefing coincided with Trump's initial meeting with opposition figure María Corina Machado, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize 2025, whom the President welcomed at the White House shortly before the spokesperson's remarks.
Although Trump described the meeting as "positive," his administration maintains the stance that Machado "lacks the necessary support within the country" to lead the initial phase of transition, Leavitt emphasized.
For now, Washington supports the provisional government led by Rodríguez, who assumed the role of interim president after Maduro's capture by U.S. forces.
As stated by Leavitt, "cooperation with Venezuela is moving in the right direction and reflects the new era in the hemisphere"; however, from Caracas, the rhetoric is often ambiguous, with the Chávez regime frequently denying Washington's statements.
Key Aspects of U.S.-Venezuela Relations
What are the main demands the U.S. has made to Venezuela?
The U.S. has demanded cooperation in areas such as oil trade, regional stability, and eventual democratic elections in Venezuela.
What is the significance of the energy agreement between the U.S. and Venezuela?
The energy agreement, valued at $500 million, allows the U.S. to market Venezuelan oil and manage the revenues, strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
What was discussed in the first conversation between Trump and Rodríguez?
They discussed topics such as oil, minerals, trade, and security, aiming to enhance bilateral cooperation and stability.