Marco Rubio acts as de facto ruler of Venezuela, controlling finances and policy

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been described by The New York Times as the “de facto viceroy” of Venezuela. Since the U.S. special‑forces capture of President Nicolás Maduro in early January 2026, Rubio has overseen the country’s finances, the allocation of oil and other natural‑resource revenues, and key government decisions from Washington. The U.S. Treasury receives most export earnings and disburses the funds through private Venezuelan banks under conditions set by Rubio’s team, a system likened to “parents handing out allowances.” Interim President Delcy Rodríguez communicates with Rubio daily via WhatsApp in Spanish, consulting him on budget matters, cabinet appointments and even social‑media posts.

Rubio also controls the issuance of sanctions waivers, favours U.S. oil companies over European firms, and approved the dismissal of Russian firm Rosneft from Venezuelan projects. After two devastating earthquakes in June, the United States deployed about 900 troops and pledged roughly $400 million in emergency aid. Critics have called the arrangement “imperial” and “impeachable,” noting that it gives Washington leverage comparable to historic U.S. “Dollar Diplomacy.” The U.S. government has not formally commented on the report, and Venezuelan officials have not responded to requests for comment.