Trump Says Election Between Delcy Rodríguez and Machado Would Be «Interesting»
Posted on 10/19/26 at 23:20
- Trump comments on possible electoral showdown in Venezuela
- Delcy Rodríguez and María Corina Machado take center stage
- Washington promotes dialogue without setting election date.
Delcy Rodríguez and Machado. United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that it would be «interesting» if Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez and opposition leader María Corina Machado were to compete in potential elections.
«Well, that would be interesting,» he briefly replied to the press at the White House when asked if he would like to see the two politicians face off at the polls.
The Trump Administration Promotes Dialogue with Chavismo
The Trump Administration is promoting dialogue between Chavismo and a sector of the opposition led by Dinorah Figuera on various issues, including a reform of the electoral commission, although no election date has been set for the time being.
Last week, the Trump Administration lifted financial sanctions against Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, brother of Delcy Rodríguez, and Chavismo’s interlocutor in that dialogue.
Trump Administration Has Strengthened Ties with Delcy Rodríguez’s Government
Since the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. operation in Caracas last January, the Trump Administration has strengthened its relations with Delcy Rodríguez’s government.
The United States and Venezuela restored diplomatic relations, which had been severed since 2019, and announced a petroleum agreement in August that would give Washington access to a quarter of Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Meanwhile, Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, remains abroad, where she has denounced that Chavista authorities are obstructing her return to Venezuela.