Khaberni - US President Donald Trump justified his support for Delcy Rodriguez to temporarily lead Venezuela instead of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, citing his desire to avoid repeating Iraq's past instability.
In response to a question about why he prefers the interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, Trump said: "If you remember, there is a place called Iraq, where they kicked out everyone - the police and the generals - and eventually, these turned into ISIS."
The US President noted that he respects Machado, pointing out that she "gave him her Nobel Peace Prize medal," and that she has great respect for him.
Trump's comments come after a meeting held by CIA Director John Ratcliffe with Rodriguez in Caracas, in a move considered the highest level since the military operation carried out by the US army about two weeks ago, which resulted in the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro.
According to the "New York Times," the visit that took place last Thursday, reinforced the Trump administration's message that it sees in Rodriguez's government "the best path for achieving short-term stability."
The meeting occurred a day after Trump had a phone call with Rodriguez, on the same day he met with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, during which she presented him the medal in what he described as a "personal gesture of gratitude" for his vocal support for "the freedom of Venezuela."
The newspaper quoted an American official, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the meeting, saying that Ratcliffe went to Caracas following Trump's direct order "to deliver a message that the United States is looking forward to improving the working relationship with the interim government."
The official added that the two sides discussed ways of intelligence cooperation, restoring economic stability, and ensuring that Venezuela does not become "a safe haven for enemies of the United States, especially drug traffickers."
Trump had previously mentioned that Machado does not enjoy sufficient support within the country. On the other hand, he described Rodriguez as a "remarkable figure," noting her "cooperation with Washington."
Inside the US administration, Ratcliffe's visit is viewed as an expression of "confidence and cooperation" with Rodriguez, who Trump officials describe as representing "practical stability" that can be built upon.
In this context, the CIA presented an initial assessment last summer describing Rodriguez, then the Vice President, as a "pragmatic politician not ideological, ready to negotiate and even cooperate with Washington if necessary."
Officials circulated an intelligence report that mentioned Rodriguez wore a dress worth $15,000 during her inauguration ceremony, prompting one official to comment sarcastically, "This is the most capitalist socialism I've seen."
Rodriguez had also participated in negotiations with Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell, and other officials, in an attempt to voluntarily persuade Maduro to step down, according to the newspaper.
Despite the failure of these efforts, those familiar with the discussions, as per the "New York Times," confirmed that Rodriguez "proved to be a practical figure looking for possible points of agreement," which seems to have formed the basis for Washington's decision to support her interim government in the current transitional phase.
It should be noted that US special forces arrested President Maduro and his wife Celia Flores in Caracas on January 3, transporting them to New York, where they face trial on charges related to drug trafficking. After the arrest, Delcy Rodriguez – who was the Vice President under Maduro – took the constitutional oath as the interim President of the country.
Rodriguez sharply condemned the American operation and continued to refer to Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela, also offering the United States the possibility of discussing potential cooperation.
