In a stark assessment of Venezuela's predicament, economist and former Venezuelan politician Henrique Salas Römer has criticized Washington's strategy, declaring it ineffective in achieving meaningful change. He shared these insights in an interview with CiberCuba, conducted by Tania Costa, which was released on Friday.
"In Venezuela, I believe that the United States, Marco Rubio, and anyone else who held onto some hope have realized that the guitar is broken. It's not about tuning the strings; it's about getting a new guitar," remarked Salas Römer, a Yale alumnus and 1998 presidential candidate who finished second to Hugo Chávez.
The metaphor directly challenges Senator Marco Rubio's argument, who has urged patience by noting that "only five or six months" have passed since Nicolás Maduro's capture on January 3, 2026. According to Salas Römer, patience is futile if the instrument is beyond repair: "What has been done in Venezuela is like tuning a broken guitar. You can tune it perfectly, but it won't sound right."
U.S. Strategy and Latin American Focus
Salas Römer suspects that the Trump administration is already considering a radical shift in strategy. "I believe they are considering it. However, I lack insider information," he clarified, suggesting that any reasonably intelligent person in the White House would reach the same conclusion.
He highlighted two key figures within the U.S. administration with genuine interest in Latin America. Regarding Rubio, he commented, "I don't know him personally, but I've followed his career and recognize him as a bold and intelligent man." He also mentioned Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary of State, emphasizing Landau's connection to Venezuela through his father, who was the U.S. ambassador there, and his fluency in Spanish. "His teenage years were spent in Venezuela," Salas Römer noted, adding that "the interest in Cuba and Latin America is genuine."
Venezuela's Turbulent Context
The interview's backdrop is one of profound upheaval. Just days earlier, on June 24, 2026, a double seismic event with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela, centered in Yaracuy and Carabobo, Salas Römer's birthplace, resulting in at least 2,295 official deaths. NASA reported that nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and the U.S. Geological Survey issued a Red Alert, predicting fatalities could range from 10,000 to 100,000. Salas Römer's reference to "earthquakes" is both literal and metaphorical.
Compounding the natural disaster is a stalled political transition, with around 700 political prisoners still detained. María Corina Machado has warned that any resolution that maintains the chavista structures is doomed to fail.
Political Obstacles and Future Prospects
Salas Römer also pointed out a political hurdle complicating decisive U.S. actions: the approaching midterm elections. "It's a challenging situation with midterms looming... The president faces a series of complex issues and has the final say," he observed.
His outlook suggests that Cuba might precede Venezuela in achieving change: "I believe 2027 will be the year Cuba emerges from this," he predicted, while Venezuela might not return to relative normalcy until early 2028.
Understanding Venezuela's Crisis and U.S. Involvement
What is Henrique Salas Römer's view on the current U.S. strategy in Venezuela?
Salas Römer believes that the U.S. strategy in Venezuela has failed to achieve its core objectives and requires a complete overhaul rather than partial adjustments.
How does Salas Römer's metaphor of a "broken guitar" relate to the situation in Venezuela?
Salas Römer uses the metaphor to illustrate that attempting to fine-tune a fundamentally flawed system is pointless and that a new approach or "instrument" is necessary for effective change.
What role do Marco Rubio and Christopher Landau play concerning Latin America?
Salas Römer acknowledges Rubio's boldness and intelligence and highlights Landau's deep connection to Venezuela, suggesting their genuine interest in Latin American affairs.
What impact did the recent earthquakes have on Venezuela?
The earthquakes caused significant destruction, with nearly 59,000 buildings damaged or destroyed and an estimated death toll potentially reaching between 10,000 and 100,000, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.