Opposition leader María Corina Machado met President Donald Trump in Washington, presenting him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal and thanking the U.S. for backing Venezuelan democracy. Meanwhile in Caracas, acting President Delcy Rodríguez used her first state-of-the-union address to call for reforms to the state-run oil sector to attract foreign investment after Nicolás Maduro’s removal. The parallel diplomatic and domestic moves underscore competing visions for Venezuela’s future and increasing international involvement.
Machado Meets Trump as Acting President Rodríguez Pushes Oil Reforms — Venezuela at a Crossroads
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is welcomed as she arrives for meetings in the office of Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuela found itself split between two competing centers of power this week as opposition leader María Corina Machado visited Washington while acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the nation in Caracas.
In Washington: Machado met with U.S. President Donald Trump, presenting him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal and publicly thanking the United States for its support of Venezuelan democracy. Her visit underscored the opposition’s efforts to secure international backing as it seeks a political transition at home — even as Trump has signaled a pragmatic openness to engaging with Rodríguez’s interim government.
In Caracas: Acting President Delcy Rodríguez delivered her first state-of-the-union address, calling for targeted reforms to Venezuela’s state-run oil industry to attract foreign investment following the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro. Rodríguez, a former vice president, sketched a vision that departs in tone — if not entirely in substance — from prior leaders who staunchly opposed U.S. involvement.
Why It Matters
The simultaneous moves highlight a deepening political and diplomatic tug-of-war: the opposition seeking international legitimization and leverage, and the acting government pursuing domestic economic changes to stabilize revenue from oil, Venezuela’s most important industry. How Washington and Caracas navigate this period could shape foreign investment, energy policy, and the prospects for a negotiated political settlement.
This photo gallery was curated by AP photo editors.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, center, leaves the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, left, leaving the White House in Washington, after meeting with President Donald Trump Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado arrives at the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado reaches out to embrace Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, as the Nobel Peace Prize recipient meets with Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., right, and others two weeks after President Donald Trump toppled Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a stunning military raid, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado greets supporters on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House after meeting with President Donald Trump Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, center, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, left, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello arrive at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez arrives at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez addresses lawmakers next to a picture of former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez delivers her first state of the union address at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
National Assembly lawmaker Nicolas Maduro Guerra, son of deposed President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife Grysell Torres arrive at the National Assembly for Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez first state of the union address in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Military leaders arrive at the National Assembly where acting President Delcy Rodriguez addresses lawmakers in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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