Venezuelan Opposition Faces Uncertain Future as U.S. Strategy Shifts Toward Regime

The opposition’s optimism following Nicolás Maduro’s removal evaporated as the Trump administration chose to negotiate with Delcy Rodríguez, the former deputy who now heads the government, rather than with María Corina Machado’s camp. Early talks produced a concession to overhaul the Supreme Court and set up joint groups on democratic reforms and earthquake reconstruction, but Machado was not invited to participate. Opposition leaders like Freddy Guevara warn that U.S. pressure may force Rodríguez to either collapse the regime or become another long-term ruler.

Meanwhile, internal Chavismo tensions surface, with Diosdado Cabello’s military influence clashing with Rodríguez’s recent cabinet reshuffle. On the streets, student rallies and nightly vigils for detainees signal rising civil unrest, while figures such as Henrique Capriles and Enrique Márquez seek to reshape the opposition’s strategy. Analysts caution that without a clear U.S. plan, the regime could stabilize under a softened “socialism with a human face,” undermining the opposition’s prospects.