Venezuela’s Transition Must Belong to the Voters—Not Maduro’s Inner Circle
Why Delcy Rodríguez is the wrong choice, and why Edmundo González Urrutia—with María Corina Machado—is the better path
Venezuela cannot claim a democratic transition while placing Delcy Rodríguez at the controls. Rodríguez is not a neutral caretaker. She is a core architect of the Maduro-era state, elevated by the same power centers—military and Supreme Court—that protected the regime. AP News
AP reporting describes Rodríguez as a longtime Maduro ally who governed much of Venezuela’s economy and intelligence services, with strong ties to the regime’s elite networks. AP News Reuters similarly frames her as one of the country’s most powerful socialist-era operators, holding multiple top posts across government. Reuters
The credibility test: 2024’s election mandate points away from Rodríguez
The 2024 presidential election remains the central legitimacy question. The U.S. State Department reported that Venezuela’s democratic opposition published more than 80% of tally sheets received directly from polling stations—an effort designed to document the popular vote and challenge the official narrative. U.S. Department of State Major reporting, including a Washington Post analysis of election receipts, concluded that Edmundo González Urrutia likely defeated Maduro by millions of votes. The Washington Post
A transition led by Rodríguez signals one thing: institutional self-preservation—not voter-respecting change. In addition, she was the architect for the torture and execution of military personnel found not loyal to Maduro.
The human-rights reality: the system cannot reform itself
A legitimate transition requires an immediate break from coercive political control. Credible reporting emphasizes Rodríguez’s proximity to the enforcement apparatus (including intelligence oversight) that has been central to regime survival. AP News
The transition recommendation: Edmundo González Urrutia or María Corina Machado are the better options
Option 1 (best fit for formal transition authority): Edmundo González Urrutia
González is the opposition’s 2024 standard-bearer and the figure most directly tied to the election mandate reflected in publicly released tally documentation and analyses. U.S. Department of State
International recognition of that legitimacy argument has also been explicit: French President Emmanuel Macron publicly expressed hope that “President Edmundo González Urrutia, elected in 2024,” can ensure a swift transition. X (formerly Twitter)
Option 2 (best fit for opposition unity leadership): María Corina Machado
Machado remains the opposition’s most influential mobilizer and strategic force. She was barred from holding office by the Maduro-aligned state, yet remained central to organizing the opposition effort and backing González as the unity candidate. Wikipedia
The European Parliament awarded Machado and González the 2024 Sakharov Prize, underscoring their standing as leading democratic opposition figures. European Parliament
Bottom line: A credible transition should be anchored by the 2024 opposition mandate—González as transition leader, with Machado as a principal transition authority (e.g., co-lead of a unity transition council) to maintain public trust and opposition coherence. U.S. Department of State European Parliament
Why Delcy Rodríguez is the wrong “interim” leader
A Rodríguez-led transition predictably produces:
Controlled timelines and procedural extensions that keep power inside regime institutions AP News
Negotiated “reforms” without structural change, leaving security services and courts intact AP News
A rebranded regime, not a democratic reset
No transition can be credible when the same regime leadership circle—documented as central to the Maduro system—remains in charge of the transition itself. AP News
What a real transition must deliver immediately
Install a transition authority led by González and a unity governing structure with Machado in a top leadership role Wikipedia
Publish and audit precinct-level results with independent verification U.S. Department of State
Restore electoral integrity (reformed electoral authority + transparent chain-of-custody for results) U.S. Department of State
Civilian oversight of security services to end political policing
A clear, internationally monitored election schedule that cannot be manipulated by regime courts
