Journalist David Alandete, who serves as the White House correspondent for ABC, revisited the interactions between Delcy Rodríguez and Donald Trump's circle in 2017, revealing that later discussions included the possibility of Nicolás Maduro stepping down from power.
Alandete also highlighted that Citgo—an American subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA—transferred half a million dollars to the committee responsible for organizing President Trump's first inauguration events.
In a post on X, Alandete questioned, "How long has Delcy been in contact with the United States? Did you know she was at Trump Tower days before the president first took office in 2017? And that through Citgo, she provided 500,000 euros to the committee that organized his inaugural celebrations?"
This donation is documented with the United States Federal Election Commission (FEC). Citgo made the transfer on December 22, 2016, from a Bank of Texas account, and the inaugural committee formally reported it in April 2017.
The 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee raised a total of $106.7 million, nearly double what was raised for Barack Obama's first inauguration.
According to an Associated Press investigation, Rodríguez—then serving as Venezuela's Foreign Minister—ordered the donation as part of a strategy to attract American investment to the struggling Venezuelan oil sector.
During this time, Citgo also hired a former Trump campaign manager as a lobbyist, and Rodríguez sought connections with Republican congress members, aiming for a meeting with ExxonMobil's top executive.
The visit to Trump Tower wasn't new information. Nicolás Maduro confirmed it in December 2020, revealing that Rodríguez was sent between January 10 and 20, 2017, to meet representatives of the President-elect, though not Trump directly.
Maduro also disclosed that Venezuela received an invitation to the inauguration but chose not to attend. Alandete's recent revelations extend the scope of subsequent interactions.
"After her visit to Trump Tower in January 2017, Delcy continued to network in Washington and New York, speaking with various individuals in the new president's circle. Months later, discussions already touched on possible scenarios for Maduro's departure," Alandete shared in a follow-up message that evening.
In the federal case 22-CR-20552, a Southern District of Florida court sentenced former Cuban-American Republican representative David Rivera to ten years in prison for acting as an unregistered foreign agent and money laundering.
The indictment claimed Rivera secured a contract worth up to $50 million with a PDVSA subsidiary to conduct political operations in the United States. Among his contacts was then-Senator Marco Rubio, with whom he met in July 2017.
This revelation holds significant weight today. Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency of Venezuela on January 5, 2026, following Maduro's capture by U.S. forces.
Since then, interactions between Rodríguez and Washington have intensified. In September 2026, she met with Trump in New York, marking the first such encounter between a U.S. president and a Venezuelan leader in over 11 years.
Alandete announced plans to release further details in his ABC column regarding those 2017 negotiations, based on judicial documents from the Rivera case.
Key Questions on Delcy Rodríguez's 2017 U.S. Connections
What was the purpose of Delcy Rodríguez's visit to Trump Tower in 2017?
Delcy Rodríguez visited Trump Tower in January 2017 to meet with representatives of the then-President-elect, as part of efforts to establish ties with the new administration and discuss future relations.
How did Citgo's donation to Trump's inaugural committee come about?
Citgo, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan PDVSA, transferred half a million dollars to the inaugural committee organizing Trump's first inauguration as part of a strategy to attract U.S. investment to Venezuela's oil sector.
Why was David Rivera sentenced in connection to Delcy Rodríguez's activities?
David Rivera was sentenced to ten years for acting as an unregistered foreign agent and money laundering, following his involvement in securing a lucrative contract with a PDVSA subsidiary to conduct political operations in the U.S.