Delcy Rodríguez: From Courting Trump to Ruling Post-Maduro Venezuela

• Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, attempted to court the Trump administration in 2017 as Foreign Minister, including a $500,000 Citgo donation.
• Despite initial efforts, Trump, urged by Marco Rubio, focused on restoring Venezuelan democracy, but Rodríguez gained prominence.
• After Nicolas Maduro's capture, Trump now praises Rodríguez as a "gracious" partner, demanding "total access" to Venezuela's oil reserves.
• Rodríguez, a pragmatic ideologue, rose through the leftist movement, overcoming early career setbacks and internal rivals like Tareck El Aissami.
• Her leadership style, compared to Deng Xiaoping, aims to revive Venezuela's oil economy amidst US sanctions, with elections notably absent from Trump's current demands.

Why It Matters: Delcy Rodríguez, a pragmatic leader, has risen to power in Venezuela, now navigating a complex relationship with Trump focused on oil, not democracy.