Venezuelan Diaspora’s Discontent Grows as US Embraces Delcy Rodriguez

Nine months after cheering the U.S. military campaign that toppled Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan diaspora now watches with growing concern as Washington formally aligns with chavismo figure Delcy Rodriguez. At the United Nations General Assembly and a closed-door meeting with President Donald Trump, Rodriguez's interim administration has reignited fears among exiled Venezuelans and opposition figures about the future of democracy in the region.

The Trump administration's increased engagement with Rodriguez, who succeeded Maduro as interim president, comes amid growing U.S. economic and energy interests in Venezuela. Despite the State Department's insistence that its policy toward Venezuela hasn't changed, opposition leaders argue that Washington's shift endangers the prospects for a democratic transition.

As Venezuelans in the U.S. fear potential deportations or denial of asylum claims, they grapple with the paradox of Maduro's detention in the U.S. while Rodriguez enjoys a closer relationship with the Trump administration.