Trump Plans Meeting with Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez

<p>President Trump is planning a meeting with Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, as early as next week, according to sources familiar with the discussions.</p><p><strong>Context:</strong> The potential meeting highlights the relationship between the United States and Venezuela under Trump's administration, although it carries political risks in both countries.</p><p><strong>Details:</strong> Trump is scheduled to meet with Gulf leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week to discuss the Iran War. Sources indicate he aims to have a meeting with Rodriguez on the sidelines, potentially on Tuesday.</p><ul><li>A Trump adviser stated, "Iran is tough, but Venezuela is without a doubt the president's top success and Delcy is a key to that. Unless something goes really wrong, the president wants to make time."</li><li>A senior administration official noted, "Nothing is finalized. This is up to the president."</li><li>On Sunday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One regarding the meeting with Rodriguez, "I may be, I may be." </li></ul><p><strong>Location:</strong> The meeting could take place in New York City, near the federal facility where Rodriguez's predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, is awaiting trial on narco-terrorism charges.</p><ul><li>Maduro was captured on January 3 in Caracas during a U.S. military operation authorized by Trump.</li><li>Rodriguez took power following the coup and has collaborated with Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to improve relations, including a controversial Venezuelan oil deal.</li></ul><p><strong>Community Response:</strong> The Venezuelan exile community in South Florida has expressed discontent with the administration's close ties to Rodriguez, a lifelong socialist who rose to power alongside Maduro, both of whom have been adversaries of the U.S.</p><ul><li>Criticism has also arisen due to the lack of calls for elections in Venezuela from Trump and Rubio, despite their previous condemnation of Maduro as a dictator.</li><li>Supporters of Maria Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, have voiced frustration over the administration's criticism of her attempts to return to Venezuela after recent earthquakes.</li></ul><p><strong>Political Landscape:</strong> In Florida, some politicians and analysts suggest that rising gas prices from the Iran war and strict immigration policies are more pressing issues for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections than the situation in Venezuela.</p><ul><li>Polls indicate that both Rodriguez and Trump have low favorability ratings in Venezuela, while Machado has the highest, though her numbers are declining.</li><li>Some within Trump's circle worry that meeting with Trump could further damage Rodriguez's standing at home, making her appear as a U.S. puppet.</li><li>However, the administration official stated, "The fact is POTUS loves Delcy because she's delivering and she's leading." </li></ul>