U.S. President Donald Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, a high-stakes encounter occurring as the U.S. military ramps up its seizure of Venezuela-linked oil vessels in the Caribbean.
While the meeting marks their first face-to-face talk since the U.S. ouster of Nicolás Maduro, it comes amid signs that the Trump administration is shifting its support toward acting President Delcy Rodríguez to ensure regional stability and control over oil resources.
Hours before the meeting, U.S. Southern Command confirmed the pre-dawn seizure of the tanker Veronica in the Caribbean. This is the sixth vessel intercepted since mid-December as part of a $100 billion plan to rebuild and control Venezuela’s dilapidated oil industry.
"The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully," Southern Command stated. The U.S. government is reportedly seeking warrants for dozens more tankers linked to the "shadow fleet" used by sanctioned nations.
Despite Machado’s long history as the face of Venezuelan resistance and her recent Nobel Peace Prize, President Trump has publicly questioned her ability to lead, citing a lack of domestic "respect" and support. Instead, the administration has begun working closely with Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president.
A classified CIA assessment reportedly suggested that Maduro-era loyalists like Rodríguez are better positioned to maintain order. In a sign of warming ties, the interim government released several American prisoners this week following a "long call" between Trump and Rodríguez.
Machado, who emerged from hiding to visit Washington, is seeking to maintain her relevance in the post-Maduro landscape. Following her lunch with the President, she is scheduled to meet with Senate leaders.
Her party is widely believed to have won the disputed 2024 elections, but with the U.S. now focused on "America First" energy security and stability, her path to the presidency remains uncertain.
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