Trump backs interim Venezuelan government and bars opposition leader Machado

Six months after a US‑led military operation that seized Caracas and detained President Nicolás Maduro, the United States declared the intervention a success and positioned interim president Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela’s leader. President Donald Trump praised the outcome, describing Venezuela as a de‑facto protectorate and emphasizing American control over the country’s oil exports, which he said generate billions of dollars in revenue.

The Trump administration has also prevented opposition figure Maria Corina Machado from returning to Venezuela, stating she lacks authority and poses a risk to the restored order. US officials claim Venezuela’s oil production has risen to about 1.25 million barrels per day under the new regime. The policies are framed under a “Donroe” doctrine, a modernized version of the Monroe Doctrine, asserting US dominance in the Western Hemisphere and designating Venezuela a security zone.

These actions have reshaped US‑Venezuela relations, with the United States effectively managing Venezuelan oil sales and rejecting any political challenge from Machado or other opposition actors.