Washington Discusses Transitional Phase in Venezuela with Acting President

SadaNews - The new head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Venezuela, Laura Dugoo, stated that she discussed during a meeting held on Monday in Caracas with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, the issue of "the transitional phase" in the country, following the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro.

Dugoo, who arrived in Caracas on Saturday, explained in a post on the "X" platform that she met with Rodríguez and Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, affirming the United States' commitment to the three phases proposed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Venezuela, which are: stability, economic recovery, and reconciliation, leading to the transitional phase.

In the same context, the Venezuelan government appointed former Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia as head of the diplomatic mission in the United States, in a move described as a turning point in the relations between Washington and Caracas, which had collapsed in 2019 after the United States refused to recognize Maduro's re-election and instead recognized a parallel government led by opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

For his part, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil stated that the government seeks to build a "fruitful agenda based on peace and respect" that aligns with the principles of international law, allowing the relations between the two countries to take a path that serves the interests of both peoples. He also called for the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions as part of the diplomatic process.

For her part, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado, expressed her willingness to meet Rodríguez "if necessary" to discuss a timeline for the transitional phase. However, she emphasized at the same time that the interim government "still represents the mafia," as she put it.

Amid President Donald Trump's efforts to normalize relations with Venezuelan authorities, following the arrest of Maduro and his wife during an attack on Caracas, Machado's future role in the Venezuelan political scene remains unclear.

Delcy Rodríguez showed signs of goodwill towards Washington by reforming the oil law and announcing a general amnesty, yet she appointed Daniella Cabello, the daughter of Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, as Minister of Tourism.

This appointment indicates the continued strong influence of her father, who is classified among the most hardline faction of the Chavista movement, and for whom the United States has offered a financial reward for information leading to his capture.

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on the new Minister of Tourism for allegedly supporting Maduro's decisions to suppress civil society, despite her later holding official positions in the fields of export promotion and tourism, reflecting the complexities of the Venezuelan political scene in the upcoming phase.