A small but powerful group of political and military officials has long held power in Venezuela, backed by a wide network of loyalists and security agencies. That system has remained intact despite the United States’ removal of President Nicolás Maduro, who was held in New York on narcoterrorism charges while his successor was sworn in as interim leader.
Who are the most powerful people in Venezuela? And who are the American officials who are deciding the future of the country?
Here, a breakdown:
Venezuela
Delcy Rodriguez
Who is it: Interim President of Venezuela
Cargo: Maduro’s former vice president, she runs the country under the supervision of the United States.
Why it matters: An experienced lawyer and party official for years, she is known as the “czarina” for the economic power she accumulated as vice president, oil minister, and finance minister. She is technically sanctioned for having served in the Maduro government, but she has gained the trust of the U.S. government (for now) and is seen by U.S. oil executives as the figure most capable of working with them to rebuild the country’s crumbling energy infrastructure.
Jorge Rodriguez
Who is it: Brother of interim president Delcy Rodríguez and president of the National Assembly since 2021.
Cargo: He leads the legislative branch, where the ruling socialist party has a supermajority.
Why it matters: He has for years led the Maduro government’s efforts to reach out to the United States and the political opposition, leading past negotiations over electoral conditions and prisoner releases. According to sources in Washington and Caracas, along with his sister, he is seen as a reasonable interlocutor for foreign governments and is expected to spearhead changes to oil legislation to allow the entry of more foreign companies.
Diosdado Hair
Who is it: Minister of the Interior of Venezuela
Cargo: He is feared for the control he exercises over military counterintelligence (DGCIM) and the so-called “collectives,” motorized groups allied to the ruling party known for intimidating opposition supporters.
Why it matters: He is considered the main executor of repression and the maximum standard-bearer of Chavismo in Venezuela. He has been accused in the United States of narcoterrorism—accusations he denies—and there is a $25 million reward for his capture. Washington has warned that he could become a priority target for arrest if he does not cooperate with Rodríguez.
Vladimir Padrino
Who is it: Minister of Defense of Venezuela
Cargo: He commands the Armed Forces, considered key by US officials to avoid a power vacuum during the transition.
Why it matters: Less dogmatic than Cabello, he has sworn allegiance to Delcy Rodríguez and is seen as more inclined to align himself with the United States, while eventually seeking a safe exit for himself. He has held his position for more than 11 years despite a US indictment for drug trafficking and a $15 million reward for his capture.
Maria Coriina Machado
Who is it: Main leader of the Venezuelan opposition and winner of the Nobel Prize
Cargo: She has dedicated her career to trying to dislodge the ruling party and denouncing the abuses of the Maduro government, which accuses her of treason.
Why it matters: He swept the opposition primaries ahead of the 2024 presidential election, but was banned from competing in the general election by the Maduro government. Despite his close coordination with some members of the US administration, President Donald Trump has downplayed the possibility of him leading the country, stating that he “does not have the support to govern.”
USA
Marco Rubio
Who is it: US Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor
Cargo: After Trump, he is the most visible face of the US operation in Venezuela and is deeply involved in efforts to pressure Venezuelan leaders to follow Washington’s directives.
Why it matters: Cuban-American and Spanish speaker, he has shown great interest in Latin America for years. Maduro’s departure represents the fulfillment of a long-sought ambition, and he has said he would like the Cuban government to be next. He maintains direct contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez to ensure that Venezuela acts in accordance with US interests.
John Ratcliffe
Who is it: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Cargo: He heads the main US intelligence agency and is part of the core team that has worked for months on the Venezuelan issue.
Why it matters: A Trump ally, he participates in meetings and calls — sometimes daily — with a team that includes Rubio, White House adviser Stephen Miller and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to Reuters sources, the CIA played a crucial role in the operation that removed Maduro from Venezuela, with a small team on the ground since August that managed to track his movements and locate him precisely.
Stephen Miller
Who is it: White House deputy chief of staff for policy
Cargo: Architect of the president’s immigration offensive, focused on Latin America, including Venezuela.
Why it matters: He wields enormous power in multiple areas of the West Wing of the White House. Under his leadership, the administration dramatically escalated immigration arrests and pushed deportations to the legal limit. He now articulates a vision according to which the world is “ruled by force,” whether by overthrowing foreign governments or taking Greenland by any means necessary.
Pete Hegseth
Who is it: US Secretary of Defense
Cargo: Responsible for US military operations around the world, including the operation that removed Maduro from power.
Why it matters: He orchestrated a large U.S. military deployment to the Caribbean in recent months, launching deadly attacks on suspected drug trafficking vessels and using those forces to execute the swift raid that led to Maduro’s capture. It represents the threat of new operations against Venezuela if the current government does not cooperate with Washington.
Chris Wright
Who is it: US Secretary of Energy
Cargo: Responsible for US energy policy worldwide, including the future of the Venezuelan oil industry and its trade.
Why it matters: A climate change skeptic and former Trump donor, he is on a mission to execute the president’s plan to rebuild Venezuela’s oil sector. He said he expects US company Chevron to expand its operations, along with ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil, which have not been active in the country for decades. Wright also stated that Washington will not allow Venezuela to become a client state of China, although it has allowed oil sales to that country to continue.
With information from Reuters.
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